Biomedical radiography and radiation

The main cause of population radiation doses from artificial radiation sources is radiographic activity in hospitals. A project carried out in Norwegian hospitals to compare mean dose levels has brought to light considerable variations. The hospitals with the largest, respectively smallest, patient doses differ typically by a factor of 5-7 for most examinations. The collective dose from medical radiography in Norway is estimated to be 2500 manSv, i.e. 0.6 mSv per caput. This collective dose is compared with the first year dose from the Chernobyl fallout, estimated to be 1000 manSv for the Norwegian population. Proper action will make it possible to achieve a considerable dose reduction from the medical use of radiation, at low cost