Radiation Safety: Understanding Procedural Radiation Dose and How to Reduce Exposure

Cardiac interventional radiology (IVR) can cause radiation injury to the staff who administer it as well as to patients. The staff who work on the IVR, including physicians, radiology technologists and nurses may not have sufficient knowledge of radiation safety and should receive appropriate radiation safety training. This course provides discussion relative to the current controversies associated with radiation exposure, as well as the importance of the ALARA principle. The course will discuss the top 10 radiation dose reduction techniques, especially in CT and fluoroscopic procedures. 

Samaritan Physicians: Successful completion of this activity will qualify Samaritan physicians for annual policy discounts. Upon completion, please print your certificate and submit to Samaritan for consideration.

Target Audience

Interventional Radiologists, Vascular Surgeons, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and all other interested healthcare professionals, especially if they use ionizing radiation.

Learning Objectives

  • Discuss radiation exposure reporting measures.
  • Implement radiation reduction techniques to improve testing and reduce risks. 
  • Apply the ALARA (As Long As Reasonably Achievable) principle to minimize radiation dose to patients and improve their safety.
Additional information
Bibliography: 
Strauss, K. J., & Kaste, S. C. (2006). The ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) concept in pediatric interventional and fluoroscopic imaging: striving to keep radiation doses as low as possible during fluoroscopy of pediatric patients—a white paper executive summary. Radiology, 240(3), 621-622.

US Food and Drug Administration. (2010). Initiative to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from medical imaging. Center for Devices and Radiological Health, ed.

Available Topics

Primary Care Online Series (Multiple Modules)

The primary care practitioner has the important responsibility to diagnose and manage patients with every category of ailment, injury and disease. This online series will provide practical, evidence-based strategies to strengthen healthcare competencies in multiple specialties. Specialists will e
Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Online Series (Multiple Modules)

Established in 1987 by renowned interventional radiologist Barry T. Katzen, M.D., Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute was one of the first centers in the United States to treat the heart and blood vessels as one entity.
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 General certificate of attendance
  • 1.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Nursing
Course opens: 
03/03/2017
Course expires: 
11/30/2022

Alyson N. Cieply, M.S.
Diagnostic Medical Physicist
Baptist Health South Florida 

Alyson N. Cieply, M.S., indicated that neither she nor her spouse/partner has relevant financial relationships with commercial interest companies, and she will not include off-label or unapproved product usage in her presentations or discussions. 

Non-faculty contributors and others involved in the planning, development and editing/review of the content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer

Baptist Health South Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Baptist Health has been re-surveyed by the ACCME and awarded Commendation for 6 years as a provider of CME for physicians.
              
Baptist Health South Florida designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 General certificate of attendance
  • 1.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Nursing
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Mobile Users
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Technical Support
Technical Support

If you are experiencing technical difficulties or have received an error message, please send an email to CME@baptisthealth.net and include a print screen of the error message, your browser name and version, username and URL where the error occurred. You can expect a response within 48 hours.