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RE: X-Rays at Podiatrist Office



Here in Rhode Island we have licensure regulations for radiographers but podiatry assistants are exempted from the license requirement if:

 

Podiatry assistants who have received a "certificate of completion" from the Community College of Rhode Island or other equivalent training approved by the Board on an individual basis, after having taken and passed the course on "radiography for podiatry assistance" and when acting within the practice of podiatry.

 

I'll leave the scatter and leakage info up to the consultants. I have never measured one of these systems.

 

You might also find this link interesting:

http://www.footdoc.com/main.cfm?pg=assistants <http://www.footdoc.com/main.cfm?pg=assistants&fn=xraysafety> &fn=xraysafety

I think some of the statements are somewhat overboard but it is what a Podiatry group is advocating.

 

An area of concern that I would have as a patient if I came across this apparent lack of training is what kind of imaging technique training did this person have? 

 

Hobie Shackford

Roger Williams Medical Center

Providence, RI 02908

(401) 456-6528

Fax: (401) 456-6540

hshackford@rwmc.org

 



-----Original Message-----

From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu [mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of iradi8

Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 11:47 AM

To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

Subject: X-Rays at Podiatrist Office





I recently had a series of foot x-rays done in a podiatrist's office. The person doing the x-rays was training a brand new assisstant. Neither seemed to have any knowledge whatsoever about what they were doing. I was not asked if I was pregnant -- I am a woman of childbearing age. I was not offered an apron which they do at the dentist (not that I feel that I really needed it). They stood right next to the head of the x-ray machine while taking all three films. Actually, the head of the machine was within 6 inches of her pelvis. The new assisstant was told that they could stay in the room for all x-rays -- that the dose is so low that it is safe. That is what the "x-ray guy who works on the machine" said. 

I was taken aback by all of this! Could someone please enlighten me as to whether this is okay? I am sure it is not! Also, the machine is not in an enclosed room -- the restroom door is within 6 feet of it and an exam room on the other side of the wall. Shouldn't there be shielding -- I wonder if there is? 

 

Thanks so much.