Those who undergo cardiac PET imaging may be worried about the level of radiation exposure that will take place during their imaging test. Rest assured that there is an ALARA principle in place for minimizing radiation exposure, which stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable, to help limit the dosages of radiation exposure. This is a best practice in addition to being predicated on legal doses that are in place for all radiation safety programs.
Why Does This Practice Exist?
Concerns revolving around radiation safety have existed for quite some time, as there’s an assumption that every radiation dose, regardless of its magnitude, can produce some level of harmful effects. For example, radiation exposure may result in an increased risk of genetic mutations or cancer. Because of ALARA, practical and cost-effective measures can help provide patients with peace of mind that everything possible is being done to keep them safe and healthy.
The Implementation of ALARA
As providers of cardiac PET imaging, our staff is committed to providing an effective ALARA program for all of our patients. We implement the following safety principles to help make ALARA as effective as possible.
- We aim to minimize the time spent exposed to radiation
- We double the distance between the patient’s body and the source of radiation to ultimately reduce exposure by a factor of 4.
- We utilize absorber materials to reduce the exposure of beta particles and gamma rays.
We’re here to help make your process as safe as possible from the beginning to the end! Feel free to contact us with any further questions or concerns that you have.
