[ RadSafe ] Medical Radiological Technician Oversight

[David Englehart]

Arthur,

The best mechanism put into place to assure patients have their x-ray exam 
done properly is a thorough and comprehensive training program for the 
technologist, leading to certification through the ARRT.  Many states 
require technologists to be certified and licensed, some don't.  I live in a 
state that has no requirements for techs to be trained, certified and 
licensed.  Though, they do regulate beauticians, assuring no one in Mo. gets 
an unsafe hair cut.

There are a few things that should be in place that the certified and 
licensed tech should adhere to.  A tech should obtain continueing education 
hours per ARRT, state, and fed requirements to further their expertise. 
Techs should be trained in understanding and performing QC for both the 
x-ray unit and the film processor, particularly for modalities like 
mammography, CT, ultrasound, MR, and nuclear medicine.  Technique charts 
should be posted at the machine they are working at, especially if it is a 
portable, or an older unit not equipped with automatic exposure control. 
The facility providing the exam should have a preventive maintenance 
schedule for their service engineer to follow.  The tech should be 
experienced and trained enough to know when to call service if the unit is 
not performing normally or when QC testing indicates a problem.  A medical 
physicist should be retained to cosult with the facility regarding the 
points made above, perform annual testing, and provide further training to 
the technologist.

Sincerely,

David Englehart
Medical Physics Services Ltd.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "A" <ab19283 at excite.com>
To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:07 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Medical Radiological Technician Oversight


>
> Dear Radsafe Folks,
>
> What mechanisims are in place to prevent Medical Radiological Techs from 
> intentionally or unintentionally overexposing their patients to X-rays?
>
> Sincerely,
> Arthur
>
>
>
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