[ RadSafe ] Radiation exposure of pregnant women more than doublesin 10 years

[John Jacobus]

Mike, 
As noted in the article,
"CT is not routinely used in pregnancy, but pregnant
women may undergo CT to detect suspected
life-threatening conditions such as bleeding in
the brain, blood clots in the lungs or appendicitis."

The Health Physics Society is going to post on their
Web site a review of the risk from certain diagnostic
exams comparing both medical and x-ray risks.

I think that the purpose of the report is to make the
radiology community, and other physician groups, aware
of the extent of such procedures.  I believe some
group representing emergency room physicians has
established guidelines on when CT scanning is
beneficial to patients with certain sypmtoms, as
opposed to giving EVERY patient a CT scan.

--- "Brennan, Mike  (DOH)" <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV>
wrote:

> This article seems to ignore the question that I
> think should be at the
> core of the decision to use ionizing radiation on
> pregnant women, or
> indeed on any patient, or indeed any invasive
> medical procedure, whether
> or not it involves radiation: Does this procedure
> increase or decrease
> the patient's overall risk?  If the answer is "yes",
> then it should be
> done, if there is no other procedure that will
> result in a greater net
> risk reduction.  If the answer is "no", then the
> procedure shouldn't be
> done.  There is, of course, a big gray zone where
> the relative risks and
> advantages are not clear, and while it would be
> delightful to have every
> patient informed enough to make an appropriate
> decision, I don't see
> that happening any time soon.  Doctors will have to
> make those
> decisions, and that's why they get paid the big
> bucks (or at least part
> of the reason).
> 
> I do not claim that pregnant women are not being
> exposed unnecessarily;
> I am saying that this article implies that without
> supporting the
> position, and does it in a way I find suspicious.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl
> [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
> Behalf Of ROY HERREN
> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:49 PM
> To: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Radiation exposure of pregnant
> women more than
> doublesin 10 years
> 
> Public release date: 27-Nov-2007
> 
> 
> Contact: Linda Brooks
> lbrooks at rsna.org
> 630-590-7762
> Radiological Society of North America
>   Radiation exposure of pregnant women more than
> doubles in 10 years
> CHICAGO - The past decade has seen an unprecedented
> increase in the use
> of radiologic exams on pregnant women, according to
> a study presented
> today at the annual meeting of the Radiological
> Society of North America
> (RSNA). 
> 

+++++++++++++++++++
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." -- Sir Winston Churchill

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com


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