英文摘要 |
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of radiation dose in medical imaging and to provide the public with correct information about medical radiation. Most ionizing radiation from medical imaging comes from X-rays such as computerized tomography and interventional radiology and from radioactive tracer material. Fluoroscopic procedures include angiography and traditional procedures such as barium enemas. Nuclear medicine procedures introduce a radioactive tracer into the body by intravenous injection. The tracer then emits gamma rays detected by a gamma camera. Computerized tomography, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine studies represent the vast majority of imaging-related radiation exposure for the general population in most developed country. When the human body receives an effective dose over 250 mSv, it could affect health. An effective dose from a medical imaging procedure that was not over 250 mSv would have no influence on the human body. As a point of reference, the annual effective dose from natural radiation was 1.62 mSv in Taiwan. Medical imaging procedures are safe and are important not only in acquiring information about human health but also in making decisions about the treatment of disease. |