Radiation Safety Knowledge and Perceptions Among Residents and Physicians in a Brazilian Medical University

The introduction of new technologies in the area of radiodiagnosis, associated with the development of new X-ray equipment, has contributed to the increasing use of ionizing radiation in medical applications. All this technological development resulted in an increase in the frequency of exams and in the diversification of procedures, requiring special attention to the doses received by the patients and the quality of the image. In fact, despite the great advantages, radiological examinations represent the main source of human exposure to artificial sources of radiation and, therefore, they must be justified, considering the benefits that may be produced and the detriment that may be associated with given exposure. The justification of the exams, dose optimization and the training of health professionals involved in these procedures has become an important challenge. It is observed that the physicians in general are not aware about the biological effects of radiation and its risk and they request high number of radiological exams, which are not always justified. Universities and residency courses have a great responsibility to contribute to the training of physicians and to the dissemination of concepts of radiological protection. In this sense, the aim of this presentation is to evaluate the radiation safety knowledge and perceptions among residents and physicians in a Brazilian medical university.