Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Nearly half of radiography exams conducted in developing countries are of substandard quality, and the need to conduct repeat procedures is exposing patients to unnecessary radiation dose.
That's according to a study we're highlighting in our Digital X-Ray Community by staff writer Cynthia Keen. Researchers assessed radiation dose and image quality in several countries in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, and found that up to 50% of exams were of substandard quality.
On the positive side, researchers were able to improve image quality -- and thus reduce radiation dose -- through quality control programs. Learn more about their results by clicking here, or visit the Digital X-Ray Community at xray.auntminnie.com.
News from ASCO
In other news, we're featuring several reports from this week's American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in our Radiation Oncology Digital Community.
In one article, a pair of studies examines the use of PET for planning surgery in patients with head and neck and lung cancers. Both studies found that PET can reduce the number of unnecessary or futile surgeries -- learn more by clicking here.
In another report, German researchers found that the use of the nutritional supplement selenium does not interfere with the effectiveness of radiation therapy, while another article discusses how a shortage of federal funding is forcing the closure of several U.S. National Cancer Institute research programs.
Get these stories and more in our Radiation Oncology Digital Community at radiation.auntminnie.com.
