Cumulative patient effective dose in cardiology.

Medical radiation from X-rays and nuclear medicine is the largest non-natural (man-made) source of radiation exposure in Western countries. The aim of this study was to assess the individual cumulative effective dose in patients admitted to our cardiology ward. We collected a cumulative radiological history from a structured questionnaire and access to hospital records in 50 consecutive adult patients (36 males; age, 66.

Suboptimal awareness of radiologic dose among patients undergoing cardiac stress scintigraphy.

Objective: Patients undergoing radiologic and nuclear medicine examination often receive little, if any, information related to the radiologic dose and consequent potential long-term cancer risk. This "economical with the truth" communication may violate basic patients' rights. We assessed the information perceived by patients on the radiation dose exposure during nuclear medicine examinations.