Radiation dose and radiation protection principle awareness: a survey among Nigerian paediatricians

This study is aimed at determining the knowledge of Paediatricians in Nigeria about the basic principle of radiation protection ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) and their knowledge of the radiation doses that children receive during some common radiological procedures.

Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were circulated among paediatricians at the 2012 annual Paediatricians' Association of Nigeria Conference. The questionnaires contain 10 questions designed to asses the pediatricians' general knowledge on : ionising radiation and the risks, doses children receive during some common radiological procedures and awareness of the radiation protection principle, ALARA ( As Low As Reasonably Achievable).

Of the 162 Paediatricians that participated, 69% named at least one non medical source of ionising radiation, 54.9% would not recommend CXR to screen an apparently healthy child for tuberculosis and 87% believe that children are at greater risk of adverse effects of ionising radiation. For dose estimation, 51.9% and 51.2% of the paediatricians underestimated doses received during Cranial and abdominal computerised tomography respectively while 13.6% and 37% respectively erroneously believed that abdominal ultrasound and brain magnetic resonance imaging utilise ionising radiation. 13.6% gave the correct meaning of the Acronym ALARA.

The Paediatricians' knowledge about the basic principle of radiation protection ALARA and the doses that children receive during some common radiological procedures is poor. There is need to ensure adequate training on radiation hazards and protection at all levels of medical education.