Governmental regulations and radiation exposure

Background: The use of radiation for medical purposes falls under the purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and individual states. Enhanced regulations are in place to promote the right exam for the right reason at the right time for every patient exposed to medical x-rays. Methods: The February 2010 FDA initiative to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from fluoroscopy, CT, and nuclear medicine studies is reviewed along with regulations currently in place. Results: Facilities granting privileges to physicians performing fluoroscopic procedures need to ensure appropriate education so they can assess individual patient risk and benefit on a case-by-case basis. These are guidelines with individual states controlling requirements. Conclusion: Regulation of education, training, and credentialing for physician operators of fluoroscopic equipment is currently controlled by individual states and is not uniform. There are strong indications that the FDA and or the Joint Commission will become increasingly involved to increase documentation of patient exposure and safety. ( J Vasc Surg 2011;53:44S-46S.)