Medical exposure of French population to ionizing radiations. Situation for the setting up of a perennial information system on medical exposure of the patients to ionizing radiations

The necessity of a information gathering system allowing to globally evaluate the contribution of medical exposure to the French population exposure and to know more particularly the most irradiating practices and these ones that reach the most sensitive populations has been emphasized in the 'Vrousos' report on the priorities in radiation protection and detailed in the actions planning for the patients surveillance to ionizing radiation exposure by the general direction of nuclear safety and radiation protection. So, the Institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety and the institute of health surveillance have decided to co-ordinate their efforts to implement an observatory of medical practice in radiology. This study should allow to know the average radiation dose delivered for each act and to know the nature and frequency of these acts. for example the average radiation dose in conventional radiology has been estimated between .66 to .83 mSv by year according to the lowest or highest hypothesis. The examinations of conventional radiology would contribute to 35% of the total dose delivered to population, scanography examinations to 40% and the nuclear medicine acts and interventional radiology for 20 to 25%. (N.C.)