Radiation scientists at the Agency have estimated that about 46 million medical and dental X-ray examinations were carried out across the UK in 2008, an increase of 10 per cent since 1997. About two-thirds, 67 per cent, of the procedures were carried out in NHS hospitals while 26 per cent were performed by dentists.
The new HPA study reveals that the average annual radiation dose to each member of the public from all diagnostic X-rays has increased from 0.33 millisieverts (mSv) in 1997, the last time a detailed frequency survey was completed, to 0.4 mSv. Most of the increase is due to the growth in the number of higher dose CT examinations. Medical X-rays remain the largest single artificial source of radiation exposure for the UK population. The average radiation dose from all sources of ionising radiation remains about 2.7mSv per person year and medical x-rays contribute 15 per cent of this total.
Dr John Cooper, Director of the HPA's Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, said: "Despite the increased use of diagnostic X-rays in medicine in the UK, the average dose to the population is still considerably lower than in comparable countries. This is because in the UK we carry out fewer X-ray examinations per head of population and because radiology departments are well managed by healthcare professionals.
source: HPA
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