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Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects

The main aim of the study was to identify and describe methods using non-ionizing radiation (NIR) such as electromagnetic fields (EMF) and optical radiation in Swedish health care. By examining anticipated exposure levels and by identifying possible health hazards we also aimed to recognize knowledg...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Hansson Mild, Kjell, Lundström, Ronnie, Wilén, Jonna
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479478/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30987016
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071186
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author Hansson Mild, Kjell
Lundström, Ronnie
Wilén, Jonna
author_facet Hansson Mild, Kjell
Lundström, Ronnie
Wilén, Jonna
author_sort Hansson Mild, Kjell
collection PubMed
description The main aim of the study was to identify and describe methods using non-ionizing radiation (NIR) such as electromagnetic fields (EMF) and optical radiation in Swedish health care. By examining anticipated exposure levels and by identifying possible health hazards we also aimed to recognize knowledge gaps in the field. NIR is mainly used in health care for diagnosis and therapy. Three applications were identified where acute effects cannot be ruled out: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electrosurgery. When using optical radiation, such as class 3 and 4 lasers for therapy or surgical procedures and ultra-violet light for therapy, acute effects such as unintentional burns, photo reactions, erythema and effects on the eyes need to be avoided. There is a need for more knowledge regarding long-term effects of MRI as well as on the combination of different NIR exposures. Based on literature and after consulting staff we conclude that the health care professionals’ knowledge about the risks and safety measures should be improved and that there is a need for clear, evidence-based information from reliable sources, and it should be obvious to the user which source to address.
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spelling pubmed-64794782019-04-29 Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects Hansson Mild, Kjell Lundström, Ronnie Wilén, Jonna Int J Environ Res Public Health Article The main aim of the study was to identify and describe methods using non-ionizing radiation (NIR) such as electromagnetic fields (EMF) and optical radiation in Swedish health care. By examining anticipated exposure levels and by identifying possible health hazards we also aimed to recognize knowledge gaps in the field. NIR is mainly used in health care for diagnosis and therapy. Three applications were identified where acute effects cannot be ruled out: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electrosurgery. When using optical radiation, such as class 3 and 4 lasers for therapy or surgical procedures and ultra-violet light for therapy, acute effects such as unintentional burns, photo reactions, erythema and effects on the eyes need to be avoided. There is a need for more knowledge regarding long-term effects of MRI as well as on the combination of different NIR exposures. Based on literature and after consulting staff we conclude that the health care professionals’ knowledge about the risks and safety measures should be improved and that there is a need for clear, evidence-based information from reliable sources, and it should be obvious to the user which source to address. MDPI 2019-04-02 2019-04 /pmc/articles/PMC6479478/ /pubmed/30987016 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071186 Text en © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
spellingShingle Article
Hansson Mild, Kjell
Lundström, Ronnie
Wilén, Jonna
Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects
title Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects
title_full Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects
title_fullStr Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects
title_full_unstemmed Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects
title_short Non-Ionizing Radiation in Swedish Health Care—Exposure and Safety Aspects
title_sort non-ionizing radiation in swedish health care—exposure and safety aspects
topic Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6479478/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30987016
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071186
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