Radiation Protection in Pediatric Case - Essay Example

Radiation Protection in Pediatric Case: Analysis of Presentation Radiation Protection in Pediatric Case: Analysis of Presentation The key to full comprehension and change in attitude towards important issues come from full subject comprehension. Anchoring on this concept, several organizations and interested health advocates, including Image Gently and Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, have teamed up to present issue on concerning the need to increase protection against negative radiological effects emitted by computed tomography (CT) scan on pediatric patients. Their information campaign not only serves as an awareness and educational demonstration, it also seeks to instigate change on the attitudes and values practiced by the medical groups and allied professionals involved in the implementation of CT scan. Indirectly, it gives further data to interested parents and family members; providing them the full picture on the impact generated by CT scans on vulnerable pediatric groups and the factors increasing such events. Although the presentation had been created specifically for health practitioners, concerned parties (support family groups) may also benefit from the informative content provided by the radiological information presentation. Pediatric Impact of CT Scan As the aim of presentation centers on radiological awareness in pediatric cases, three main objectives have been explicitly expressed: factors behind enhanced susceptibility of children to radiation in CT scans, the dose-related parameters with radiological imaging, and threats of constant exposure to CT scans. The presentation posits the difference between pediatric and adult cases, as anatomical structure and natural defense of the former is immature compared to the latter. The distinguishing aspects led most experts to evaluate the risks of radiation exposure through formulated dose calculations on children on CT scans. In further demonstration, the threats to well-being of pediatric patients are considered, portraying the odds of engaging in CT scans against its diagnostic benefits. The report covers radiologic basics--the process in cellular damages, calculation on dosage risks, and pulling dimensions that may threaten or save young lives. The presentation sheds light on two cellular alterations associated with CT scan radiation exposure: stochastic (random) and genetic effects. As radiation from CT scans enters the body, random injury to fast-growing cells common in young patients can occur, potentially leading to cancerous cells. As affirmed by Medina, Applegate, and Blackmore (2009), such effect can indeed start the carcinogenesis process through low-level radiation imaging, as in CT scans-- enhanced with increments in radiation dosage. Moreover, radiation may target cellular tissues of young patients. The DNA materials contained in developmental genes, as insisted by Brenner and Hall (2007), can be disrupted by radiation outputs, leading to structural impairments--allowing opportunities to turn damaged cells into carcinogenic ones. Although approximating dosage risk of radiologic exposure is established in adult patients, pediatric calculation is another matter. The presentation exhibited the reality of higher radiation dose given to children, despite pediatric dosage estimations. Several aspects are said to affect radiation dose: “number of scans...size of the patient, the axial scan range, etc. “(Brenner & Hall, 2007, p. 2278). By this, body size and structure of patient do make significant difference, where organs’ sizes are slight, with closer distance from one another, and with less surface layers (Frush, Donelly, & Rosen, 2003). More radiation is, thereby, absorbed in smaller organ compartments, penetrating the thin protective layers, and easily spreading to nearby tissue organs of close proximity. In the long run, infiltrations may disrupt organ functions, causing fatal conditions, such as cancer. In so far, the higher amount of absorbed radiation and anatomic structure of children serve as general factors accounting for their vulnerability, compared to their adult counterparts. Value of CT Scan Familiarity In a straight-forward manner, the direct recipient for this information campaign falls on medical and allied professionals involved prior to and after the execution of diagnostic CT scans. Understanding the variety of health impacts and risks of radiation exposure to pediatric patients, the clinical team should be made aware of the sensitivity with engaging the aid of CT scans in confirming the presence of debilitating health conditions. As these are arranged in logical presentation, Frush, Donelly, and Rosen (2003) emphasized two important points that must be focused, frequency of CT examinations and procedural adjustments, which are strictly performed for less radiation contact. Reduction in consistency of performing CT scans on children and technical regulation of the equipment for less radiation emission are the basic principles in reducing CT scans hazards. Having a comprehensive background on this may clarify medical doubts and improve the way radiologic technicians carry out the scanning procedures. In brisk and concise manner, the campaign may convince them on substantive weight of preventing more radiation to be exposed in unnecessary episodes. In indirect effort, the communication lines between families and the clinical must be kept open, even in explaining the importance of CT scan and its accompanied radiation hazards. As clinical personnel become adept with the pros and cons with diagnostic radiation imaging, they are capable in answering inquiries related to the security of the diagnostic test, confidently allying the fears of parents against the damage of CT scans. Significantly, competent advice and diagnostic decisions are generated from clinical staffs who are well-oriented with such procedure. In turn, families can secondarily benefit from such well-informed clinical providers. They can fully rely on the medical team to provide the best actions for their children, weighing the benefits and the necessity of placing pediatric patients on radiation risk, for their own good at the most. CT Scan Informative Presentation Founded on the belief that the presentation is done to create awareness and instill standardized diagnostic services, the objectives it sets served as guided direction how the whole campaign should proceed. It had been a step-by-step process, and the information it provided had been concise and well-organized. It started off with clarifying the goals of the project, and advanced towards discussing the given objectives in subsequent points. The pause at the end of lectures is an effective way in helping the audience absorb the information and reflect on them. This had kept up with the bulleted information shown on the multimedia screen, giving a glimpse of what is to come, at the same time, retaining the suspense that only health-related facts can assuage. With the aid of a fluent and persuasively articulated narrator, the whole content of the presentation had been delivered satisfactorily. Yet, the full content of informative data seemed to lack the universal ease in which even an ordinary person can entirely follow the whole presentation in the end. At first, the multimedia appeared interesting, presenting facts that can get the attention of audiences, but as the diagnostic advocacy carried on, the enthusiasm slightly faded, especially on the part where radiation dosage calculation have been laid out. It could have been helpful had some of the basic dosage formulas and examples been printed in the screen as well, for it is hard to envision several computations and listen to them without actually seeing them. After all, not all of the audience are familiar with several terms, further enhancing the difficulty in following on such areas. Other than the issue with such shortcoming, the rest of the campaign elements, the report delivery and approach, have excellently met the expectations of presentation viewers. It is safe to say that with the lack of major drawbacks with the multimedia information drive, the whole presentation can claim the right as unmitigated advocacy success. All in all, the altruistic nature of CT scan information campaign supports the position of three parties involved: the clinical team, family members, and the patients themselves. The impact of radiation may not be apparent in early life, but its destructive influence later in development can be devastating. Keeping this in mind, thorough and evident-based decisions and actions must be performed before subjecting children to radiation from CT scan--their opportunity for healthy lives should not be robbed because of threats with diagnostics radiation. References Brenner, D.J., & Hall E.J. (2007). Computed tomography: An increasing source of radiation exposure. The New England Journal of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMra072149 Frush, D. P., Donelly, L.F., & Rosen, N.S. (2003). Computed tomography and radiation risks: What pediatric health care providers should know. Pediatrics, 112, 951-957. Medina, L.S., Applegate, K.E., & Blackmore, C.C. (Eds.). (2009). Evidence-based imaging in Pediatrics: Optimizing imaging in Pediatric patient care. London: Springer. Read More