Speaker – Christopher B. Martel, Harvard Medical School

Recent media attention has focused on patient injuries from radiation generating devices. In many states, institutions are required to monitor fluoroscopy dose to patients, and follow up is required for patients likely receive a skin injury. Patient doses exceeding the deterministic threshold for skin injury (i.e., 2 Gray) are a common occurrence. However, skin injuries such as erythema are rarely seen. This course will examine the structure of skin, historical and current evidence of radiation interaction and damage to skin, and measurement of skin dose. The course will explore whether 2 Gray is an appropriate threshold for skin injury or is simply too low.