ABSTRACT
Diagnostic and interventional fluoroscopic procedures are certainly on the rise and the reliance on imaging is increasing amongst clinicians and other medical professionals. However, with growing number of procedures, the amount of radiation that staff and patients are exposed to also increases and this is a growing concern. To quantify the amount of radiation received by patients, physical quantities such as Kerma and absorbed dose as well as their International System of Units (SI) unit, the Grey (Gy), is used. The level of radiation required to produce acute effects is largely related to the dose. Radiation protection is aimed at preventing occurrence of deterministic as well as risks of stochastic effects, mainly cancer. In order to decrease the absorbed dose to the patient and staff the radiation protection principles of time, distance and shielding have to be followed. Telecardiology is now widely used, where patient images are easily accessible across different regions and hospitals and community centres and primary care.
