title: Radiation exposure by radio-diagnostics in Switzerland: a pilot patient-oriented survey.
abstract: A patient-oriented survey was conducted in Switzerland with the aim to establishing the distribution of medical X-ray examinations among the population. A sample of 1235 people aged between 15 and 74 y (589 males and 637 females) was contacted. The participants were asked to give the number of medical X-ray examinations performed during the previous 12 months. Three-fourths of the sample did not undergo any medical X-ray examination during a 12 month-period, and 10% of the population underwent more than 1 medical X-ray examination in a year. These results were independent of the geographic region. The age distributions of the participants who did not undergo any medical X-ray examination and those who underwent one medical X-ray examination were similar. On the other hand, the age distribution of the participants who underwent more than one medical X-ray examination was characterised by a higher contribution from the elderly.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Applied Radiation Physics, Grand-Pré 1, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland. abbas@aroua.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aroua
authors.forename: J-F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Valley
authors.forename: J-P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vader
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors; D014965:X-Rays