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.

Original Release Date: March 2017
Review Date:  November 2022

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.

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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: 
11/30/2025

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

Alyson N. Cieply, M.S., faculty for this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies* to disclose and has indicated that the presentation or discussion will not include off-label or unapproved product usage.

Constantino Peña, M.D., conference director for this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies* to disclose.

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

*Ineligible companies -- Companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

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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