Assessing the risk of inadvertent radiation exposure of pregnant patients during radiation therapy planning and treatment in British Columbia.

Purpose: To explore health care professionals' perceptions of, and experience with, the risk of inadvertent radiation exposure to pregnant patients in radiation therapy (RT) departments.

Methods And Materials: The survey was distributed to 342 health care professionals working in RT departments in British Columbia (BC), including radiation therapists, medical physicists, radiation oncologists, and radiation oncology residents.

Results: There were 119 responses, 65% of who were radiation therapists. Respondents' mean duration of experience was 13.9 years (range, 1-25), over which time the BC Cancer Agency has delivered at least one course of RT to an estimated 16,000 women under the age of 50. Of the responses, 11.6% indicated that they had ever, in their training or career, encountered a situation where RT was inadvertently given to a pregnant patient. Upon reviewing anonymous comments, at least 7 discrete incidents were described. Fifty-two percent of radiation oncologists never, or only occasionally, remembered to discuss the risk of RT in pregnancy; 53% did not believe there were signs posted in their cancer center warning patients or reminding staff of this risk. Furthermore, 61% did not know if there was any patient education material designed for this purpose. Establishment of a checklist to screen for potentially fertile females prior to RT was felt to be a useful intervention by 49% of respondents.

Conclusions: There is a risk of RT exposure to pregnant patients. Procedures and policies to prevent inadvertent irradiation of pregnant patients appear to be inadequate in BC. Provincial policies should be introduced to help reduce the risk of inadvertent RT of pregnant patients.