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Dento Maxillo Facial Radiology Jan 2022Dentists use dental imaging methods frequently in the diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases. This study aimed to determine dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and...
OBJECTIVES
Dentists use dental imaging methods frequently in the diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases. This study aimed to determine dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about radiation protection during dental imaging procedures.
METHODS
Dentists from two major dental health centres in İzmir province were asked to participate in this study. The participants replied to a questionnaire that consisted of questions on the use of radiographic devices, knowledge on the radiation protection of patients and staff, and attitudes and behaviors regarding radiation protection. The questionnaire also included questions about the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Descriptive statistics of data were performed using the SPSS software program.
RESULTS
Sixty-six dentists participated in the survey. The mean knowledge score of dentists on dental imaging, radiation, and radiation protection was 8.3 ± 2.6 out of 17, while the mean attitude and behavior score was 8.3 ± 2.1 out of 27.97% of the participants stated that medical imaging technicians should carry out imaging procedures. The use of rectangular collimators was 9.1%, and using E/F film was 56.3% among dentists. 23.3% of participants stated that they applied the bisecting angle technique during dental imaging, 23.8% stated that they wear a lead apron during imaging, and 37.8% stated that they always used thyroid shields on the patients. In addition, 37.2% of the dentists stated that the patient holds the film during preapical radiography, and 81.5% used the same imaging parameters for adult and pediatric patients. 62% of dentists stated that they question the pregnancy of female patients before imaging.
CONCLUSION
Findings of the study suggest that the knowledge of dentists about dental imaging procedures and radiation protection needs to be improved. The implementation and the follow-up of quality training programs in accordance with the standards set by the national authority will be of great importance.
Topics: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Child; Dentists; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Pregnancy; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Protection; Radiography, Dental
PubMed: 34260311
DOI: 10.1259/dmfr.20210120 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2021The space environment consists of a complex mixture of different types of ionizing radiation and altered gravity that represents a threat to humans during space... (Review)
Review
The space environment consists of a complex mixture of different types of ionizing radiation and altered gravity that represents a threat to humans during space missions. In particular, individual radiation sensitivity is strictly related to the risk of space radiation carcinogenesis. Therefore, in view of future missions to the Moon and Mars, there is an urgent need to estimate as accurately as possible the individual risk from space exposure to improve the safety of space exploration. In this review, we survey the combined effects from the two main physical components of the space environment, ionizing radiation and microgravity, to alter the genetics and epigenetics of human cells, considering both real and simulated space conditions. Data collected from studies on human cells are discussed for their potential use to estimate individual radiation carcinogenesis risk from space exposure.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; DNA Damage; Genomics; Gravity, Altered; Humans; Radiation Injuries; Radiation Protection; Space Flight; Weightlessness; Weightlessness Simulation
PubMed: 34638848
DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910507 -
Archives of Cardiovascular Diseases 2023Structural heart interventions are steadily increasing, and the majority requires echocardiographic guidance. As a result, imaging specialists are exposed to the harmful... (Review)
Review
Structural heart interventions are steadily increasing, and the majority requires echocardiographic guidance. As a result, imaging specialists are exposed to the harmful effects of scattered ionizing radiation. This X-ray exposure must be quantified, its potential consequences should be monitored by occupational medicine and the "as low as reasonably achievable" principles of radioprotection should be optimized (including increasing the distance, decreasing the duration, using shielding radiation and providing safety training for the imaging specialist). The spatial organization of and shielding provision in the procedural rooms should be designed to optimize radioprotection for all team members.
Topics: Humans; Radiation Injuries; Radiation Protection; Echocardiography; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Exposure
PubMed: 37391341
DOI: 10.1016/j.acvd.2023.03.004 -
Reviews on Environmental Health Jun 2021This study was performed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of health care workers (HCWs) towards radiation protection. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
This study was performed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of health care workers (HCWs) towards radiation protection.
METHODS
In this systematic review study, three international databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus) were searched for related published articles in the English language from 1 January 2000 to 1 February 2020. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Hoy et al. tool.
RESULTS
Out of the 1,848 studies examined, 41 studies that were performed on 11,050 HCWs were included in the final stage. The results indicated that in most studies, more than half (50%) of the participants had average knowledge. Furthermore, 60% of the participants had a positive attitude, but in most studies, they had average practice regarding radiation protection. The most important recommendation for improving KAP among the participants was incorporating radiation protection standards in the student curriculum.
CONCLUSION
Considering the results of the study, further attention should be paid to proper education regarding radiation protection standards and improvement of HCW performance.
Topics: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Personnel; Humans; Radiation Protection
PubMed: 32894727
DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2020-0063 -
Journal of Digital Imaging Feb 2015Medical analytics relating to quality and safety measures have become particularly timely and of high importance in contemporary medical practice. In medical imaging,... (Review)
Review
Medical analytics relating to quality and safety measures have become particularly timely and of high importance in contemporary medical practice. In medical imaging, the dynamic relationship between medical imaging quality and radiation safety creates challenges in quantifying quality or safety independently. By creating a standardized measurement which simultaneously accounts for quality and safety measures (i.e., quality safety index), one can in theory create a standardized method for combined quality and safety analysis, which in turn can be analyzed in the context of individual patient, exam, and clinical profiles. The derived index measures can be entered into a centralized database, which in turn can be used for comparative performance of individual and institutional service providers. In addition, data analytics can be used to create customizable educational resources for providers and patients, clinical decision support tools, technology performance analysis, and clinical/economic outcomes research.
Topics: Humans; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Radiation Protection; Radiology; Safety Management
PubMed: 25416467
DOI: 10.1007/s10278-014-9747-3 -
Journal of Environmental Radioactivity May 2017The importance of developing a robust nuclear forensics program to combat the illicit use of nuclear material that may be used as an improvised nuclear device is widely... (Review)
Review
The importance of developing a robust nuclear forensics program to combat the illicit use of nuclear material that may be used as an improvised nuclear device is widely accepted. In order to decrease the threat to public safety and improve governmental response, government agencies have developed fallout-analysis codes to predict the fallout particle size, dose, and dispersion and dispersion following a detonation. This paper will review the different codes that have been developed for predicting fallout from both chemical and nuclear weapons. This will decrease the response time required for the government to respond to the event.
Topics: Explosions; Nuclear Warfare; Nuclear Weapons; Radiation Monitoring; Radiation Protection; Radioactive Fallout
PubMed: 28340486
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.02.010 -
European Heart Journal Sep 2016While radiation exposure related to natural sources plays a minor role, medicine-related exposure, represents, to date, a major exposure source. Within this exposure... (Review)
Review
While radiation exposure related to natural sources plays a minor role, medicine-related exposure, represents, to date, a major exposure source. Within this exposure interventional electrophysiology is a relevant contributor. Unfortunately, no safe dose in radioprotection exists, the negative acute and long-term effects of radiological exposure may emerge at any radiation exposure dose. For this reason, patients and physicians should be aware of the risk of radiation exposure and the benefits of the imaging/procedure balanced by the required radiation exposure. Given this, performing a near to zero X-rays transcatheter ablation procedure should therefore represent an aim for all electrophysiological lab. Fortunately, the introduction of electroanatomic mapping systems, have provided the possibility to perform simple and complex electrophysiological procedures avoiding, or at least, limiting the use of radiations. The present review summarizes state of the art of feasibility and safety of the near to zero approach for the main electrophysiological procedures, highlighting the potential health benefits.
Topics: Catheter Ablation; Fluoroscopy; Humans; Radiation Exposure; Radiation Protection; X-Rays
PubMed: 27354053
DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehw223 -
Revista Gaucha de Enfermagem 2022To reflect on the elements of nursing care management in radiological protection in interventional radiology.
OBJECTIVE
To reflect on the elements of nursing care management in radiological protection in interventional radiology.
METHODOLOGY
A reflection paper based on national and international articles and laws addressing the nursing care management issue and radiological protection in interventional radiology.
RESULTS
From the conceptions of nursing care management and professional practice, the following elements were perceived in this management: expertise and applicability of the radiological protection principles, biological effects of ionizing radiation, occupational dose monitoring, personal and collective protective equipment, patient safety, training in radiological protection, quality assurance program.
CONCLUSION
The management of nursing care in radiological protection in interventional radiology is implemented in an elementary way regarding care aimed at dose reduction, either for workers or patients. There is a need to recognize, understand and characterize the management of nursing care in this scenario.
Topics: Humans; Radiation Protection; Nursing Care
PubMed: 36477999
DOI: 10.1590/1983-1447.2022.20210227.en -
Frontiers in Public Health 2020Life has evolved on Earth for about 4 billion years in the presence of the natural background of ionizing radiation. It is extremely likely that it contributed, and... (Review)
Review
Life has evolved on Earth for about 4 billion years in the presence of the natural background of ionizing radiation. It is extremely likely that it contributed, and still contributes, to shaping present form of life. Today the natural background radiation is extremely small (few mSv/y), however it may be significant enough for living organisms to respond to it, perhaps keeping memory of this exposure. A better understanding of this response is relevant not only for improving our knowledge on life evolution, but also for assessing the robustness of the present radiation protection system at low doses, such as those typically encountered in everyday life. Given the large uncertainties in epidemiological data below 100 mSv, quantitative evaluation of these health risk is currently obtained with the aid of radiobiological models. These predict a health detriment, caused by radiation-induced genetic mutations, linearly related to the dose. However a number of studies challenged this paradigm by demonstrating the occurrence of non-linear responses at low doses, and of radioinduced epigenetic effects, i.e., heritable changes in genes expression not related to changes in DNA sequence. This review is focused on the role that epigenetic mechanisms, besides the genetic ones, can have in the responses to low dose and protracted exposures, particularly to natural background radiation. Many lines of evidence show that epigenetic modifications are involved in non-linear responses relevant to low doses, such as non-targeted effects and adaptive response, and that genetic and epigenetic effects share, in part, a common origin: the reactive oxygen species generated by ionizing radiation. Cell response to low doses of ionizing radiation appears more complex than that assumed for radiation protection purposes and that it is not always detrimental. Experiments conducted in underground laboratories with very low background radiation have even suggested positive effects of this background. Studying the changes occurring in various living organisms at reduced radiation background, besides giving information on the life evolution, have opened a new avenue to answer whether low doses are detrimental or beneficial, and to understand the relevance of radiobiological results to radiation protection.
Topics: Background Radiation; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Radiation Protection; Radiation, Ionizing; Radiobiology
PubMed: 33384980
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.601711 -
Life Sciences in Space Research Aug 2023In the last decade, NASA and other space exploration organizations have focused on making crewed missions to different locations in our solar system a priority. To...
In the last decade, NASA and other space exploration organizations have focused on making crewed missions to different locations in our solar system a priority. To ensure the crew members' safety in a harsh radiation environment outside the protection of the geomagnetic field and atmosphere, a robust radiation protection system needs to be in place. Passive shielding methods, which use mass shielding, are insufficient as a standalone means of radiation protection for long-term deep-space missions. Active shielding methods, which use electromagnetic fields to deflect charged particles, have the potential to be a solution that can be used along with passive shielding to make deep-space travel safer and more feasible. Past active shielding studies have demonstrated that substantial technological advances are required for active shielding to be a reality. However, active shielding has shown potential for near-future implementation when used to protect against solar energetic particles, which are less penetrating than galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). This study uses a novel approach to investigate the impacts of passive and active shielding for protection against extreme solar particle events (SPEs) and free-space GCR spectra under solar minimum and solar maximum conditions. Hybrid shielding configuration performance is assessed in terms of effective dose and radiobiological effectiveness (RBE)-weighted dose reduction. A novel electrostatic shielding configuration consisting of multiple charged planes and charged rods was chosen as the base active shielding configuration. After a rigorous optimization process, two hybrid shielding configurations were chosen based on their ability to reduce RBE-weighted dose and effective dose. For protection against the extreme SPE, a hybrid active-passive shielding configuration was chosen, where active shielding was placed outside of passive shielding. In the case of GCRs, to gain additional reduction compared to passive shielding, the passive shielding configuration was placed before the active shielding to intentionally fragment HZE ions to improve shielding performance.
Topics: Atmosphere; Cosmic Radiation; Electromagnetic Fields; Protective Devices; Radiation Protection; Humans
PubMed: 37481310
DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2023.04.004