According to its annual report on nuclear safety and radiation protection in Midi-Pyrénées, more and more French people are exposed to X-rays, and for good reason since the doses of radiation received for medical reasons have increased by 50% in five years. This is the warning of the southwestern division of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) in Toulouse, after 33 inspections carried out in the region.
This increase is explained by too frequent use of to scan for medical diagnostics. “Ionizing radiation is being used more and more to detect diseases, in particular with scanners which are very irradiating, but also for the surgeon to guide his gesture with the aid of the radiography, which avoids the patients having to have major interventions, and is extremely positive, “said Jean-François Valladeau, head of local nuclear.
Favor MRI
To receive too much radiation can cause cancer, it is therefore essential to control the doses administered. ASN recommends using MRI “whenever possible rather than a scanner”, indicates Jean-François Valladeau. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses magnetic fields.
But progress in this area must also go through a reinforced staff of medical physicists, better control of the devices (we will remember the irradiated people from Epinal) and attendance at radiation protection training.
For good reason, Jean-François Valladeau notes that surgeons neglect their own safety: “Practitioners in general wear personal protective equipment, but not dosimeters measuring radiation and neglect the compulsory medical examination and radiation protection training”.
