Recommendations From the Blue Ribbon Panel on Fluoroscopy Safety.

Abstract

There are many challenges associated with the safe use of fluoroscopy. These challenges include but are not limited to highly variable regulatory requirements, scope of practice concerns, inconsistent education and training, and lack of staff empowerment. Challenges are further compounded by the increasing use of fluoroscopy across a wide range of medical specialties. To facilitate consensus on how to address the issues, the ACR convened the multidisciplinary Blue Ribbon Panel on Fluoroscopy Safety (BRP-FS), with 32 organizations represented. The goal of the BRP-FS is to establish multi- and interspecialty consensus standards for the safe use of fluoroscopy in health care, including minimum and uniform standards for the education and training of fluoroscopy users that apply across geographic and professional boundaries, for the benefit of all patients and health care providers. Recommendations are made for local practices, professional organizations, industry, regulatory agencies, and accreditation bodies. Foundational to the recommendations of the BRP-FS are the personnel training and procedure classification frameworks in National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement Commentary No. 33.