Radiological Safety And Quality

This book is the product of a unique collaboration by experts from leading international, regional and national agencies and professional organizations discussing on the current ‘hot’ issue on the judicious use and safety of radiation in radiology. There have been several cases involving radiation overexposure that have received international attention. Strategies and solutions to guide readers how to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks when using radiation in medicine are covered.

This book provides a roadmap for optimizing quality and safety within radiology practices, whether academic or private and irrespective of their national setting. All aspects of the radiology workflow are addressed, from imaging appropriateness, examination scheduling, and patient preparation through to imaging protocol optimization (including radiation dose management), modality operations, reporting (including structured reporting), and report communication. The book highlights innovative IT tools, including clinical decision support, that drive compliance with national best practice standards and guidelines. The use of big data tools to manage and enhance clinical delivery is addressed. Finally, metrics designed to measure the value that radiology brings to patient care and patient outcomes are introduced. Readers wishing to deepen their understanding of contemporary best practices regarding quality and safety will find this book to be a rich source of practical information.

Radiology has been transformed by new imaging advances and a greater demand for imaging, along with a much lower tolerance for error as part of the Quality & Safety revolution in healthcare. With a greater emphasis on patient safety and quality in imaging practice, imaging specialists are increasingly charged with ensuring patient safety and demonstrating that everything done for patients in their care meets the highest quality and safety standards. This book offers practical guidance on understanding, creating, and implementing quality management programs in Radiology. Chapters are comprehensive, detailed, and organized into three sections: Core Concepts, Management Concepts, and Educational & Special Concepts. Discussions are applicable to all practice settings: community hospitals, private practice, academic radiology, and government/military practice, as well as to those preparing for the quality and safety questions on the American Board of Radiology's "Maintenance of Certification" or initial Board Certification Examinations. Bringing together the various elements that comprise the quality and safety agenda for Radiology, this book serves as a thorough roadmap and resource for radiologists, technicians, and radiology managers and administrators.

Radiology has been transformed by new imaging advances and a greater demand for imaging, along with a much lower tolerance for error as part of the Quality & Safety revolution in healthcare. With a greater emphasis on patient safety and quality in imaging practice, imaging specialists are increasingly charged with ensuring patient safety and demonstrating that everything done for patients in their care meets the highest quality and safety standards. This book offers practical guidance on understanding, creating, and implementing quality management programs in Radiology. Chapters are comprehensive, detailed, and organized into three sections: Core Concepts, Management Concepts, and Educational & Special Concepts. Discussions are applicable to all practice settings: community hospitals, private practice, academic radiology, and government/military practice, as well as to those preparing for the quality and safety questions on the American Board of Radiology's "Maintenance of Certification" or initial Board Certification Examinations. Bringing together the various elements that comprise the quality and safety agenda for Radiology, this book serves as a thorough roadmap and resource for radiologists, technicians, and radiology managers and administrators.

The book covers all the radiation safety aspects while working with unsealed radionuclides. Radiation safety plays a significant role in routine nuclear medicine practices and is necessary to protect occupational workers, patients, members of the general public and the environment. A fair knowledge of radiation safety is expected from all nuclear medicine professionals. Chapters include basics of radiation physics, biological bases of radiation protection, planning and design of nuclear medicine facilities, cyclotron and high dose therapy facilities, radiation safety considerations in nuclear medicine, cyclotron while preparing radiopharmaceuticals. It also includes the working mechanism of radiation detectors, quality assurance of positron emission tomography (PET) and gamma camera, including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), emergency preparedness plan, nuclear medicine and CT dosimetry, transport regulations, the role of national regulatory authorities and radioactive waste management. The last chapter provides probable model questions asked in the radiological safety officer certification examination and includes 250 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), 100 true or false, 60 fill in the blanks, and 40 match the following questions. The book is written in a simple language for a better understanding of the occupational workers of any grade. It serves as reference material for nuclear medicine professionals on radiation safety, related to planning, quality assurance, dosimetry and various regulations pertaining to nuclear medicine. It is a ready reckoner for the students pursuing a degree/diploma in nuclear medicine and preparing for certification courses in radiation safety to understand the subject matter along with options to attempt practice questions.

This comprehensive textbook provides a state of the art overview of the means by which quality in patient care is ensured within the field of nuclear medicine. Acknowledged experts in the field cover both management aspects, such as laws, standards, guidelines, patient safety, management instruments, and organisations, and specific issues, including radiation safety and equipment. Quality in Nuclear Medicine not only presents detailed information on the topics discussed but should also stimulate further discussion and offer an important tool to all professionals in the field of nuclear medicine and their stakeholders. Readers will find that the book provides a wealth of excellent guidance and reflects the pioneering role of nuclear medicine in advancing different aspects of quality within medicine.

Provides recommendations on how safety requirements may be fulfilled for the protection of patients, comforters and visitors of patients against exposure to ionizing radiation in medical practice in compliance with Appendix II (Medical Exposure) of Safety Series No. 115 (1996).