Patients will be protected from unnecessary X-ray radiation under an EU directive which has been welcomed by the Irish Institute of Radiography. The directive will allow radiographers to act as a "policing system" and query X-ray requests they believe are not needed, according to Ms Mary Coffey, president of the IIR.
At present junior doctors "with little knowledge of X-rays" may request them when they are unnecessary, and fear of litigation by patients can also encourage doctors to order more X-rays, she said.
"Sometimes we get requests to X-ray a whole leg when just an ankle is sufficient," said Ms Coffey, who is also director of the School of Therapeutic Radiography in Trinity College Dublin.
She said the directive, expected to be in place by the year 2000, would require doctors to justify X-ray requests.
"There needs to be vigilance to make sure unnecessary exposures are not carried out and the best techniques are used for the minimum exposure," said Ms Coffey, speaking at the IIR's annual meeting at the weekend.
Radiographers would find their position strengthened.
"If we query an X-ray it will be with the strength of this directive behind us. Of course we always have had a responsibility to query, but doctors have the ultimate responsibility at the moment.
"There is a potential risk with all exposures. It may be very small or it may not be. It depends on the dose and individual characteristics. If a procedure that did not involve X-ray could be used instead it would be appropriate for us to advise that."