title: Errors inducing radiation overdoses.
abstract: There is no doubt that equipments exposing radiation and used for therapeutic purposes should be often checked for possibly administering radiation overdoses to the patients. Technologists, radiation safety officers, radiologists, medical physicists, healthcare providers and administration should take proper care on this issue. "We must be beneficial and not harmful to the patients", according to the Hippocratic doctrine. Cases of radiation overdose are often reported. A series of cases of radiation overdoses have recently been reported. Doctors who were responsible, received heavy punishments. It is much better to prevent than to treat an error or a disease. A Personal Smart Card or Score Card has been suggested for every patient undergoing therapeutic and/or diagnostic procedures by the use of radiation. Taxonomy may also help.
authors.affiliation: Hermou 51, 54623, Thessaloniki, Greece. fgr_nucl@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Grammaticos
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*