title: Radiation safety and education in the applicants of the final test for the expert of pain medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The C-arm fluoroscope is known as the most important equipment in pain interventions. This study was conducted to investigate the completion rate of education on radiation safety, the knowledge of radiation exposure, the use of radiation protection, and so on.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unsigned questionnaires were collected from the 27 pain physicians who applied for the final test to become an expert in pain medicine in 2011. The survey was composed of 12 questions about the position of the hospital, the kind of hospital, the use of C-arm fluoroscopy, radiation safety education, knowledge of annual permissible radiation dose, use of radiation protection, and efforts to reduce radiation exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, although most respondents (93%) had used C-arm fluoroscopy, only 33% of the physicians completed radiation safety education. Even though nine (33%) had received education on radiation safety, none of the physicians knew the annual permissible radiation dose. In comparing the radiation safety education group and the no-education group, the rate of wearing radiation-protective glasses or goggles and the use of radiation badges or dosimeters were significantly higher in the education group. However, in the use of other protective equipment, knowledge of radiation safety, and efforts to reduce radiation exposure, there were no statistical differences between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The respondents knew very little about radiation safety and had low interest in their radiation exposure. To make the use of fluoroscopy safer, additional education, as well as attention to and knowledge of practices of radiation safety are required for pain physicians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Konkuk University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Pyong Eun
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joo Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Jae Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Suk Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jae Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Seog
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Yong Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kim