Determining and reporting fetal radiation exposure from diagnostic radiation

Pregnant women are sometimes exposed to diagnostic ionizing radiation for any number of legitimate medical reasons. When this occurs, it is important to perform an accurate fetal dose estimate using standard methodologies as quickly as possible and to convey this information to the woman's physician, along with a summary of appropriate published medical guidelines. This will provide the physician and the patient with the information necessary to make an informed decision regarding the potential impact of this radiation exposure on the pregnancy. At the same time, it is important to recognize that not all pregnancies end well, and there is a finite chance that legal action could ensue because of this, even if radiation exposure was negligible. For this reason, it is also important to make sure that standard, accepted protocols are followed in calculating radiation exposure and the health physicist provide advice only in his or her areas of competence.