Legal aspects of incidents with contrast media and of the radiation risk in ambulant diagnostics

There is hardly a radiologist or a urologist who won't be confronted with an incident with contrast media in his surgery or at least with the question of if the radiation risk in the diagnostical radiology is in a reasonable proportion to the need for a completely clear diagnose. Complications, hard reactions or hazardous consequences in the diagnostical sphere are often a reason for the patient or his relatives to inform the police or the competent public prosecutor because either all diagnostical measures are thought to be completely undangerous or the physician refuses to release the patients files for inspection. In order to avoid such wrong attitudes of patients and to protect the physician from being sued for damages without valid reason some legal aspects of diagnostical surgery are shown at the example of contrast medium administration. (orig./HP)