Final answer:
An effective radiation safety program in imaging facilities includes minimizing exposure time, maximizing distance from the source, using proper shielding, and educating patients. Fast films and isotopes with short half-lives help limit radiation doses. MRI offers a radiation-free option for detailed medical imaging.
Step-by-step explanation:
Imaging facilities must have an effective radiation safety program that provides patient protection and patient education. Devices employing medical imaging, such as the Anger camera, SPECT detector, and PET scan, utilize ionizing radiation which has the dual capability to both cure and cause cancer. The manipulation of DNA molecules is central to these effects. To ensure safety, healthcare professionals must adhere to radiation protection measures including minimizing the time spent in the radiation environment, maintaining a safe distance from the radiation source, and utilizing proper shielding.
Shielding, for instance, is often provided by lead aprons or barriers and is essential to protecting both patients and healthcare workers from excessive radiation exposure. The application of fast films and the use of isotopes with short half-lives are additional strategies to limit radiation doses, which enable quicker image processing and reduce the amount of time radioactive substances remain active within the patient, respectively.
In contrast to techniques that involve ionizing radiation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not pose a danger of radiation exposure. MRI uses radio waves in a resonant process sensitive to nuclear density to provide detailed images without the associated risks of radiation. In essence, for those concerned with radiation exposure, MRI represents a safe alternative in medical imaging.