Expert canvasses awareness on risks, benefits of ionising radiation

Thu, Aug 11, 2022
By editor
3 MIN READ

Health

 A medical imaging scientist, Dr Livinus Abonyi, on Thursday in Lagos called for increased awareness campaign on the risks and benefits of ionising radiation among the patients and general public.

Abonyi, a lecturer at the Department of Medical Radiography, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Ionising radiation refers to a type of high-energy radiation to remove an electron or negative particle from an atom or molecule by causing it to be ionised.

The radiation can cause chemical changes in cells which may increase the risk of developing certain health conditions including cancer.

Ionizing radiation can come from rays that enter the earth from outer space or from medical imaging equipment, such as x-ray, CT scan, or PET scan machines.

Exposure to very high doses of ionising radiation can damage a person’s body, including severe skin or tissue damage and death.

Abonyi said told NAN that the low awareness of risks and benefits of ionising radiation among patients result in general dislike for radiological procedures that could be beneficial to patients.

He said the situation was further complicated by the influence of social media and exaggerated public media reportage on radiation risks and hazards.

According him, research findings show low awareness of ionising radiation, which results in under or over utilisation of ionising radiation emitting devices or modalities and communication gap between health professionals and patients.

He said that ionising radiation was a `double-edged sword’ that could be used to identify and cure diseases and equally used to cause artificial health hazards/conditions.

“Ionising radiation is described as a double- edged sword which when used appropriately by the trained & certified person, is beneficial in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

“However, when applied wrongly, usually by quacks, can cause mutation of the genetic components of the body, which can cause cancer of different types.

“That made it pertinent for specialised education and training of the radiographers, radiologists and physicists with relevant update courses on dispensation of ionising radiation,” he told NAN.

According to him, concerted effort is required to increase awareness, appropriateness and audit of ionising radiation among the patients and health professionals.

Abonyi said that in dispensing radiation, the dose must be in line with the ‘ALARA’ principle of as Low As Reasonably Achievable.

This, according to him, means that the lowest dose must be used to achieve maximum diagnostic or treatment benefit, adding that there was the need for only experts to dispense ionising radiation.

According to him, ionising radiation is used in many medical imaging modalities, which include conventional X-ray machines,.

Other areas of use, he said include Computed Tomography, Nuclear medicine gamma Cameras for diagnosis of different diseases involving all specialties of medicine.

He said that ionising radiation was indispensable in the diagnosis of diseases and treatment of cancer but must be handled by the expert trained to do so.

“Quackery in radiography practice or use of ionising radiation is very dangerous because the patient does not perceive any effect of the overdose immediately”, he said. (NAN)

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