FDA Radiation Reduction Initiative
On February 9, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an initiative to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from medical imaging procedures by providing regulatory oversight of medical imaging devices and collaborating with other federal agencies and health care organizations to achieve appropriate utilization of medical imaging procedures and optimize the radiation dose delivered with each procedure.
Radiologists, medical physicists and other radiology professionals have long recognized the need for conscientious implementation of medical procedures that deliver ionizing radiation and have assumed a collective responsibility for maintaining rigorous standards of practice.
In addition to following strict appropriate imaging utilization standards, radiologists and medical physicists have worked together to improve the safety of imaging exams by minimizing dose without sacrificing diagnostic ability or therapy effectiveness.
Medical imaging exams are an invaluable tool in the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and patients should not avoid necessary exams and procedures out of concerns about radiation dose or the potential for error. While medical errors can and do occur, the overwhelming majority of imaging exams are performed safely, according to prescribed standards.
The FDA initiative, along with the continued efforts of radiologists, medical physicists and healthcare organizations, should further ensure that patients are receiving optimal benefits from medical imaging exams while minimizing potential risk.
For more information:
FDA Unveils Initiative to Reduce Unnecessary Radiation Exposure from Medical Imaging
ACR Statement on FDA Radiation Reduction Program
