In plain language
Among 86 Japanese orthopaedic surgeons followed for five years with repeated radiation-safety education, self-reported caution rose, self-reported fluoroscopy time fell, and hand skin injury prevalence declined from 34.9% to 25.6%, though the design cannot prove education caused this.
At a glance
- Type of study
- Original research, Prospective cohort study
- Who was studied
- Orthopedic surgeons
- Size
- n = 86 orthopaedic surgeons
- Where
- Japan
- Summary based on
- the full text
What it found
Prevalence of dermatologist-graded radiation-induced hand skin injury declined over 5 years of repeated education.
Key figures: 34.9% (2019) to 25.6% (2024)
Proportion of surgeons reporting being cautious about radiation rose sharply.
Key figures: 5.8% to 70.9%
Self-reported weekly fluoroscopy time decreased.
Key figures: mean 13.3 ± 13.0 to 10.7 ± 10.9 min/week; p = 0.045
Spine surgeons were less likely to show skin improvement than other surgeons.
Key figures: Odds ratio (OR) 0.236; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.069-0.807; p = 0.021
Most individuals were unchanged; some improved, few worsened; Grade 2 lesions confined to surgeons with 20+ years of experience.
Key figures: 5 (5.8%) worsened, 68 (79.1%) unchanged, 13 (15.1%) improved
Limits to keep in mind
Single-institution study without a control group, relying on self-reported fluoroscopy time with no dosimetry; improvements may reflect recall bias, Hawthorne effect, or secular trends rather than the education.
Related research summaries
- Occupational radiation exposure to UK orthopaedic surgeons: a dose monitoring exercise (2026, Dosimetry measurement study)
- Radiation safety awareness and practices amongst orthopaedic surgeons in Scotland (2022, Cross-sectional survey)
- Occupational hazard of fluoroscopy: An invisible threat to orthopedic surgeons (2021, Cross-sectional survey)
- Radiation safety compliance awareness among healthcare workers exposed to ionizing radiation (2024, Cross-sectional survey)
- Prevalence of the use of protective equipment for ionizing radiation from fluoroscopy: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis (2026, Meta-analysis)
How this summary was made
ORSIF prepared this summary with AI assistance from the full text of the paper. A program then checked that the passage supporting each finding appears word for word in that source. A person has not yet reviewed each summary, so read the original before relying on a number. ORSIF summarizes research and does not endorse any product or company. Report a problem with this summary.
Prepared November 3, 2026.