Philips empowers fluoro staff with dose badges

A radiation monitoring system that quantifies the radiation being absorbed in the fluoro suite promises to give individual staff the information they need to minimize their exposure to x-rays. Philips Healthcare came up with the product, called DoseAware, which the company unveiled earlier this year at the European Congress of Radiology and now on the RSNA 2010 exhibit floor. 

The system consists of wireless real-time radiation badges, worn by all members of the fluoro team, and a quantitative registering of the scattered x-ray dose being absorbed by badge wearers. A base station hangs adjacent to the fluoro imaging monitors in the suite, displaying onscreen the dose being absorbed by each member of the team.

This information allows staff to instantly determine if they are being exposed to too much radiation, according to Philips, spurring them to take action to reduce dose, for example, by using a shield, stepping back a few feet from the x-ray source, or adjusting the imaging chain on the fluoro system.

Providing instant feedback on whether and by how much their actions have reduced dose provides positive reinforcement, according to Philips, and helps staff develop a healthy way of working.