Trauma Patients Routinely Exposed to Dangerous Radiation Levels in Hospital: New Study - Details

On average, U.S. trauma room patients are exposed to radiation levels equivalent to 1,005 chest x-rays during a single visit -- enough to put them at risk of developing cancer.  The finding is the result of new research published in a recent issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine.

The high dose of radiation is attributed to a battery of diagnostic procedures, including conventional x-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans.  CT scans offer sharper images, but deliver exponentially higher doses of radiation. 

In this latest study, researchers analyzed the records of 86 random car accident victims treated in a Level 1 trauma center over a three-month period in 2006.   Authors of the study warn that while multi-trauma patients such as these often require aggressive diagnostic testing, many physicians order a hefty battery of imaging tests that may not be entirely advisable, given the potential for long-term damage as a result of exposure to radiation. 

Younger patients, the researchers warn, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of high doses of radiation, because their longer lifespans give them more time than other patients in which to develop tumors. 

Previously on the DC Metro Area Medical Malpractice Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:

• Radiation dangers posed by 64-slice CT scanners
• Why a new heart imaging scan carries cancer risks
• How hospital trauma level designations correlate to patient survival rates

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