President's Page: The ACC Encourages Multi-pronged Approach to Radiation Safety

Diagnostic imaging procedures and fluoroscopically-guided interventions have led to improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of numerous medical conditions, including heart disease. At the same time, many of these procedures also expose patients to ionizing radiation. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),[1] Congress, and others are increasingly looking at medical radiation exposure and considering policies and/or programs to ensure patient and clinician safety.[2,3]

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) applauds these efforts and strongly supports a pragmatic approach to radiation safety that balances the intended benefits of the procedure against the radiation risk. It is critical that the cardiovascular community take responsibility for ensuring the safety of imaging and procedures and be involved in the creation and implementation of these policies and initiatives—particularly given the increasing use of nuclear imaging, computed tomography (CT) scans, and fluoroscopic procedures to facilitate accurate diagnosis and prognosis of heart disease, improve treatment planning, and guide therapeutic interventions.

Full text at JACC