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December 17, 2025

Reducing radiology referral errors through training: an audit from 2023-24

A recent audit conducted at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh in Dublin revealed a significant reduction in radiology referral errors following targeted training interventions. Initially, a 2023 audit found a nine per cent error rate in plain film x-ray referrals, primarily due to incorrect procedures, insufficient clinical information and wrong anatomical sides. These errors, while […]

Cris Penus, Sarah McKnight, Avril Morgan, Niamh Whyte, Anne Smith

National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh, Ireland

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October 11, 2023

The future direction for patient radiation protection

Radiation has played a crucial role in medicine ever since the discovery of x-rays a hundred years ago. Today technology takes centre stage in continuing the advancement. However, any use of radiation has an associated risk. Evidence for this comes from epidemiological studies of populations exposed to high doses of radiation. Radiation protection practice has […]

Colin Martin

University of Glasgow

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May 17, 2023

Practical radiation protection in theragnostics

In 1942 Dr Saul Hertz used 131I radioiodine (RAI) to treat thyroid disease. Although theragnostics (also known as theranostics) was a term not invented at that time, Dr Hertz was using g-rays from RAI as a tracer and diagnostic biomarker, and its b particles for therapy, so he can be regarded as a pioneer. 131I […]

Dr Chris Mayes

Royal Liverpool University Hospital

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October 13, 2021

The EC-BSSD – where are we now?

The European Council Basic Safety and Standards Directive (EC-BSSD) 2013/59/Euratom lays out basic safety standards for radiation protection in radiology departments across EU member states. This was adopted by the European Council for transposition into national member state legislation by early 2018. The main objective of this directive is to protect both the public and […]

Dr Nadia Mahmood, Professor David C Howlett

Eastbourne District General Hospital

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October 13, 2021

Personal dose monitoring requirements in radiology

The only sure way of knowing the radiation dose that staff working with x-rays receive is to measure it directly. Personal dose monitoring is a way of ensuring that staff are not exposed unnecessarily and that radiation protection standards are maintained. Dose limits seldom change as they are based on our understanding of the levels […]

Colin J Martin

University of Glasgow

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October 14, 2020

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry: radiation protection for staff and patients

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA) has been the standard method for measuring or monitoring bone mineral density for many years, used principally for the assessment of osteoporosis and hence the risk of bone fracture. It is also now increasingly being used for the assessment of body composition. The concept behind DXA is to make […]

Graham Hart

YourRPA

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July 17, 2019

Getting it right first time (GIRFT)

Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) is a national programme designed to improve medical care within the NHS by reducing unwarranted variation. By tackling variations in the way services are delivered across the NHS, and by sharing best practice between trusts, GIRFT identifies changes that will help improve care and patient outcomes, as well as […]

Dr Kath Halliday, Dr Giles Maskell, Gail Roadknight

Getting It Right First Time

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July 17, 2019

The need for MRI safety education in the NHS

This project investigated whether a lack of standardised MRI safety education in the NHS was considered, by a sample of the UK MRI workforce, to create a potential risk to service users and staff. A survey of more than 100 MRI staff was carried out to identify whether there is a need for a national […]