Facts and fallacies of chest fluoroscopy.

A comparison is made of x-ray doses received by patients undergoing chest radiography and cardiac and gastrointestinal fluoroscopy, and the possible hazards of such radiation doses are discussed in relation to the diagnostic benefits of the procedures. Fluoroscopy of the gastrointestinal tract delivers 3 to 5 times the dose given by chest fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy of the chest delivers 5 r under average conditions and 2.5 r under optimal conditions to the patient's skin in the region of the thorax during one routine examination. The biological effect of this dose computed for the volume of the entire body corresponds under average conditions to whole-body irradiation with 0.1 r or 1/50 of the threshold dose. Average monthly dose received in fluoroscopic work is estimated to be 0.1 r. It is suggested that since fluoroscopy of the chest can be performed with 1/50 of the yearly threshold dose, there is no hazard with regard to producing tissue injuries, carcinogenesis, or genetic changes. In fluoroscopy of the chest the ovaries receive 0.014 r. It was concluded that routine fluoroscopy for the diagnosis of cardiac diseases cannot be considered unnecessary because it gives unique information, often unobtainable by other methods of examination, and for themore » diagnosis of cardiac disease in adults, fluoroscopy of the chest should be performed routinely. However, fluoroscopy in infants and young children should be restricted for any region to special cases. Fluoroscopy of the chest can be performed safely and many times within the limits of the recommended threshold dose provided that the fluoroscope meets with the prescribed safety specifications and the examiner is properly trained. (TCO)« less