[ RadSafe ] Errors expose patients to radiation

[Gary Isenhower]

I haven't been following this thread or anything else on Radsafe for a 
while, but I skim thru the posts from time to time, so I hope I'm not 
missing a key point and inserting my foot in my mouth. 

As John correctly stated, diagnostic procedures almost never approach 1 
Sv.   On the other hand, fluoroscopic interventional procedures 
sometimes produce skin doses higher than 1 Gray.  Its not "routine" but 
its not rare either.  It depends on the complexity of the interventional 
case, the equipment, and the experience of the fluoro operator.

If you will pardon my provencial units:
3 R/min typical fluoro entrance exposure
40 minute fluoro case
=  120 R entrance exposure
or about 1.1 Gray

The FDA website used to have some really scary pictures of patient skin 
burns.  They may still be there.  Just looking at the pictures should 
convince you that the skin doses were significantly higher than 1 Gray, 
perhaps in the 4 to 8 Gray range. 

-Gary Isenhower

John Jacobus wrote:

>Jim,
>Medical exposures of 1 Sv are unusual, even in
>therapy. Biological response predicates the need to
>factionate doses.  And, yes, the public dose limit is
>exclusive of medical irradiations.  
>
>--- "Muckerheide, James" <jimm at WPI.EDU> wrote:
>  
>