Important role of radiation protection in specific applications of X-rays and radionuclides in bioengineering

Radiation protection plays an important role in all applications of ionizing radiation technologies used in medicine, including those applied in imaging modalities based on the use of X-rays and radiopharmaceuticals. In all these applications, ensuring the adequate protection of personnel, patients and the public in accordance with the relevant national and international safety standards is a requirement. The paper deals with some specific aspects of radiation protection associated with the use of ionizing radiation in medical imaging, which is an inherent part of bioengineering techniques. After a short summary of radiation protection principles relevant to bioengineering, the exposure of patients from various radiation imaging procedures is summarized. While the effective dose to personnel is usually well below dose limit levels, there are some modalities, such as the PET, where it has been observed that the equivalent dose to extremities of persons handling some radiopharmaceuticals may exceed the relevant dose limit.