Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Most of the concern over radiation dose in diagnostic radiology has been focused on overexposure. This week in our Radiation Oncology Digital Community, we bring you a story from the other side of the coin -- patients from a Canadian cancer center who claim they received too little dose during radiation therapy procedures.
A class action lawsuit was filed earlier this month against the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, alleging that due to equipment miscalibration, patients didn't receive the prescribed dose of radiation for their procedures. Canadian authorities have already investigated the incident, and an expert panel produced a report that could provide a lesson for any radiation therapy facility concerned about quality assurance, according to a story by staff writer Cynthia Keen. You'll find the article by clicking here.
Also in the community, a study has found that girls who received radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease between 1960 and 1990 have a risk of developing breast cancer that's nearly 40 times higher than the general population. Learn more by clicking here.
You'll find both stories in our Radiation Oncology Digital Community, which you can reach at radiation.auntminnie.com.
A year-end thank you
We'd like to close our last Letter from the Editor of 2008 with special thanks to you -- the AuntMinnie community. AuntMinnie.com wouldn't exist without the support of our members and sponsors, and we offer our gratitude for your continuing dedication.
AuntMinnie.com will continue to provide you with the high-quality clinical and business journalism you've come to trust, as our specialty works its way through what will most likely be a challenging 2009.
In what's become an annual tradition, we offer our list of top 10 stories on AuntMinnie.com for 2008 as measured by reader traffic. Just click here to see what was hot in medical imaging this year.
Enjoy, and have a happy, safe, and prosperous new year!
