Published online Jul 20, 2022. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v12.i4.264
Peer-review started: January 19, 2022
First decision: March 24, 2022
Revised: March 27, 2022
Accepted: June 3, 2022
Article in press: June 3, 2022
Published online: July 20, 2022
Processing time: 181 Days and 11.3 Hours
Radiation-containing imaging and treatment techniques are frequently used in daily clinical practice. The advancement of technology and clinicians' increased access to radiation-containing examinations also expand the applications of radiation-containing examinations. Recently, the use of radiation-based medical exams has increased exponentially. The dangers of radiation should be highlighted, and awareness of radiation should be increased.
Radiation is a potential carcinogen. Ionizing radiation exposure can damage DNA, increasing an individual's lifetime risk of developing cancer. Medical exams containing radiation are sometimes unnecessary and overused. Preventing unnecessary medical imaging examinations is an option to reduce total exposure to radiation. To avoid unnecessary examinations, it is necessary to understand the demanding process.
To increase radiation awareness and thus reduce unnecessary radiation exposure.
We developed a 20-question questionnaire for clinicians to evaluate radiation awareness and the reasons for requesting radiation-containing tests.
Most of the participants stated that they did not feel sufficient about radiation knowledge and the majority of participants underestimated examination dose rates. Both patients and physicians had a low level of knowledge and awareness about ionizing radiation. In our study, we found that 48.2% of patients were informed about radiation prior to requesting an examination containing ionizing radiation. A large part of the participants (91.8%) reviewed the previous examinations before requesting a radiation-containing examination and that a significant portion (66.7%) would be affected by the high dose warning in the hospital system record. Indication, concern about not being able to diagnose, worry about doing malpractice, high patient density, and the patient's insistence are various factors in requesting a radiation-containing imaging method. Desire to complete diagnosis quickly and fear of malpractice may be the reasons for unindicated computed tomography (CT) demand.
According to the findings of our study, some solutions can be offered to prevent unnecessary radiation exposure. The first and most critical of these is to raise patients' and clinicians' radiation awareness and consciousness, and to schedule regular radiation training sessions. If the patient's previous radiation exposure and total dose of exposure are displayed as warnings in the patient information system in the hospital before clinicians make a request for a medical exam that includes radiation, this can help reduce unnecessary request and exam repetition. By reducing patient density, doctors can spend more time with the patient rather than rushing to a CT diagnosis, and radiation exposure can be reduced. Additionally, with detailed informed consent to the patient about the potential risks of radiation, the patient's insistence on examination with radiation is reduced, and unnecessary radiation exposure can be prevented.
Following radiation awareness training for patients and clinicians and the addition of a total radiation dose warning to the hospital's patient information system, prospective studies can be conducted to determine whether the number of requests for radiation-containing examinations has decreased in certain centers.