FDA moves to reduce radiation in scans

The Food and Drug Administration has launched an initiative aimed at reducing unnecessary radiation exposure from medical imaging procedures.

The measure is aimed at three types of medical imaging: computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine studies and fluoroscopy.

According to the agency, these procedures are the greatest contributors to total radiation exposure in the country as they use much higher radiation doses than other radiographic procedures, such as standard X-rays, dental X-rays and mammograms.

“The amount of radiation Americans are exposed to from medical imaging has dramatically increased over the past 20 years,” said Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health in a statement. “The goal of FDA’s initiative is to support the benefits associated with medical imaging while minimizing the risks.”

The proposal calls for manufacturers of high-grade medical imaging machines to include safety controls that prevent patients from receiving excessive radiation doses. The FDA is urging manufacturers to install safeguards on their machines that automatically notify operators if they are using a higher-than-recommended dose.

FDA regulators are also creating best-practice guidelines that hospitals, clinics and imaging centers will have to meet to retain their imaging accreditation.

More on the initiative can be found on the FDA’s web page in an article entitled, “Initiative to Reduce Unnecessary Radiation Exposure from Medical Imaging.”