Guide to Radiological Protection in Healthcare
Ionising radiation has been used in healthcare since the discovery of x rays over a 100 years ago. Since then, ionising radiation applications and technologies have evolved to become an important part of contemporary medicine, with hundreds of millions of people benefiting from diagnostic radiology, interventional procedures, radiation therapy and nuclear medicine every year. In addition, radiation is widely used in biomedical research and veterinary medicine.
The application of radiation in healthcare offers proven benefits to individuals and society. However, due to the inherent properties of ionising radiation, it may also pose health risks to exposed patients, healthcare providers, and others. Over the past years, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has provided overall recommendations on the System of Radiological Protection in ICRP Publication 103, guidance on radiological protection in medicine (e.g. in ICRP Publication 73 Radiological Protection and Safety in Medicine, ICRP Publication 105 Radiological Protection in Medicine, ICRP Supporting Guidance 2 Radiation and your patient - A Guide for Medical Practitioners), and many supporting publications on topic-specific applications in diagnostic radiology, interventional procedures and radiation therapy (see the List of ICRP Publications on Radiological Protection in Healthcare).
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