Radiation awareness in an Italian multispecialist sample assessed with a web-based survey

Introduction: The awareness of radiation doses and risks, also during interventional cardiology procedures, is essential today in order to apply the risk-benefit assessment and to reinforce the principles of justification and optimisation in clinical practice. Methods: A voluntary survey with 10 questions and multiple-choice answers was run on a popular cardiology website (www.cardiolink.it) independently by a scientific publisher, in order to evaluate the contemporary level of radiation awareness in a multi-speciality sample of physicians in Italy. Results: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one physicians completed the test. The survey showed good results since both prescribers and practitioners (mostly cardiologists) working in Italy are largely aware of the cancer and non-cancer risks of medical radiation use, regardless of their subspecialty background. Conclusion: Physicians are largely aware of the cancer and non-cancer risks of medical radiation use, regardless of their subspecialty background. However, there is still broad space for improvement; in the future, the awareness of radiation risk is a prerequisite to create a culture of respect for radiation hazard and a commitment to minimise exposure and maximise protection.