In plain language
This 2010 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) white paper launched an initiative to reduce unnecessary patient radiation from computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy and nuclear medicine through device dose alerts and recording, reference levels, a dose registry, appropriate-use criteria and training. It does not address staff exposure.
At a glance
- Type of study
- Regulation or standard
- Who was studied
- Patients
- Where
- United States
- Topics
- Patient doseRegulation and policyDose reduction techniquesDosimetry and monitoringTraining and education
- Summary based on
- a web page
What it found
CT, interventional fluoroscopy and nuclear medicine make up a minority of radiation-using imaging procedures in the US but most of the population's medical imaging radiation exposure.
Key figures: 26% of procedures; 89% of exposure
Interventional fluoroscopy carries the highest typical adult effective dose range of the listed modalities.
Key figures: 5-70 mSv (250-3500 chest x-ray equivalents)
FDA plans to require CT and fluoroscopic devices to display, record and report dose and alert users when reference levels or skin-dose thresholds are exceeded.
US per capita radiation exposure nearly doubled, largely from CT, nuclear medicine and interventional fluoroscopy; interventional fluoroscopy accounted for 7% of per capita exposure in 2006.
Key figures: 3.6 mSv (early 1980s) to 6.25 mSv (2006); 17 million interventional fluoroscopy procedures in 2006
FDA recommends national and local diagnostic reference levels, a national dose registry, appropriate use criteria and better user training and quality assurance.
Limits to keep in mind
Policy white paper with no original data; it addresses patient exposure only and does not discuss occupational dose to fluoroscopy staff.
Related research summaries
- Radiation protection practices in diagnostic and interventional cardiology: Position paper from Portuguese Association of Interventional Cardiology (2025, Guideline or consensus statement)
- Radiation Protection in Interventional Radiology (2022, Narrative review)
- Radiation-Induced Noncancer Risks in Interventional Cardiology: Optimisation of Procedures and Staff and Patient Dose Reduction (2013, Narrative review)
- Radiation safety program for the cardiac catheterization laboratory (2011, Guideline or consensus statement)
- ICRP Publication 117. Radiological Protection In Fluoroscopically Guided Procedures Performed Outside The Imaging Department (2010, Guideline or consensus statement)
How this summary was made
ORSIF prepared this summary with AI assistance from a web page 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.