British Journal of Radiology (2003) 76, 281
© 2003 British Institute of Radiology
doi:
Radiological protection for medical exposure to ionizing radiation: safety guide. Safety Standards Series No RS-G-1.5. IAEA, pp. 76, 2002 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria), €14.50 ISBN 92-0-111-302-1
S B Osborn
This little booklet contains nothing new, but is a useful summary of the international safety standards for Medical Exposure to Ionizing radiation in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications of X-rays and radioactive materials. It is, therefore, more general than a set of legal requirements would be, and cannot correspond in detail to such requirements. It is also couched in the rather stilted language, associated with such documents. Inevitably some words are used is a limited or specific sense which is not immediately obvious, nor necessarily explained. After much search, for instance, "registrant/licensee" appears to mean either "the authorized user" or "the legal person".
The bulk of this report deals with the protection of the patient, although there is mention of the sepecial arrangements necessary when an elderly patient or a child needs to be held during a radiological exposure. However, as in so many works on radiation protection, I could find no mention of the difference between the radiological examination of a boiler and that of a patient in that a person has needs and a dignity that required thought and attention.
Arrangements for radiation protection in connection with medical exposure must inevitably vary widely from country to country, and will generally be less comprehensive in developing countries, where the booklet is likely to be of most use but where the financial ability to comply will be least. In such situations, formal arrangements will probably need to be more flexible in order to make best use of whatever resources of specialist equipment and personnel happen to be available. However, little attention is paid to this.
A substantial part of this publication is quoted from previously published reports, and especially from the "International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against lonizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources", IAEA Safety Series No 115, IAEA, Vienna (1996).
