DIGITAL RADIATION DANGERS - SUE'S OVERDOSE

"I want to cancel my radiation badge service, because we are switching to digital, and my service tech tells me that digital is totally safe."

 

We attempt to get these misinformed customers to keep their badge service, because there is a learning curve using any new technology, and to insure that both employee procedure and machine are operating correctly.  Because we see thousands of dose reports, we have been able to document many instances where, after switching to digital, exposure has been extremely high.  Just like you automatically retake photos without a thought with a digital camara, x-ray technicians commonly click off 4-5 retakes with digital x-ray systems, while in the room with the patients, thinking it is "safe."  However, this process over exposes both patient and employee more than standard x-ray radiation. 

 

One of the reports we have which document this misuse, shows after switching to digital, an employee who we have named Sue, received over 5,000 mrem during the first month of using a digital system (more than the annual allowable occupational dose).  After speaking with the dentist, we found out that he thought digital was "totally safe," and he instructed the employee that it was OK to stand in the room while in the room with the patient.  We wanted to speak with the employee directly, however the doctor did not allow this.  We never knew if the dentist ever told the employee that she was overexposed, and subsequently the doctor cancelled the radiation monitoring badge service. 

Obviously radiation badges can save lives, and minimize future adverse health problems especially for women in child bearing ages, if they are routinely used, and if the dose reports are paid attention to, and if appropriate corrections are made to both operating procedures and machine maintenance.