Radiation safety regulations--the evolution and development of standards

This article describes the development of radiation protection standards, including laws covering equipment, personnel and patients, from a historical and evolutionary standpoint. Laws for the safe use of equipment, guidelines for occupational exposure and means of patient protection are developed from reports and recommendations of national and international organizations. In the United States, some of these laws operate at the federal level and others at the state level. This process is not always well-understood due to the number of organizations involved. This article outlines the process for the radiology manager.