RADIOLOGY—ORIGINAL ARTICLE Assessing local patients’ knowledge and awareness of radiation dose and risks associated with medical imaging: A questionnaire study Ho-kwan Sin, 1 Chun-Sing Wong, 3 Bingsheng Huang, 3 Ka-ling Yiu, 4 Wai-lam Wong 5 and Yiu Ching Tiffany Chu 2 1 Medical and Geriatric Department, and 2 Radiology Department, Kwong Wah Hospital, and 3 Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, and 4 Department of Medicine, North District Hospital, and 5 Accident & Emergency Department, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong H Sin MBBS; C-S Wong, FRCR (HK); B Huang PhD; K Yiu, MBBS; W Wong, MBBS; YCT Chu FRCR(HK). Correspondence Dr Chun-Sing Wong, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 406, Blk K, Queen Mary Hospital, 102 Pokfulam Rd, Hong Kong. Email: drcswong@hku.hk Conflicts of interest: None declared. Submitted 12 June 2012; accepted 13 July 2012. doi:10.1111/j.1754-9485.2012.02471.x Abstract Introduction: To assess the awareness of radiation dose and associated risks caused by radiological procedures among local patients. Methods: All subjects were recruited by randomly sampling the patients receiving radiological examinations. These subjects were stratified on age, sex and education. The questionnaire was in Chinese and consisted of 28 questions mostly in multiple choice/true-or-false format, divided into three sections examining demographic data, radiation knowledge/awareness and expectations. Results: A total of 173 questionnaires were returned (83 females and 84 females; mean age of 53). Of these, 32.6% had attended college, 32.6% had completed matriculation and 24.4% secondary school. Most subjects under- went CT (75), MRI (70) and PET-CT (18). Education significantly affected the radiation knowledge (P = 0.013). 60.7% and 32.7% were not aware of the radiation-free nature of MRI and USG, respectively. Respectively, 45.4% and 43.5% were of the misconception that Barium enema and Barium swallow studies do not involve radiation. Moreover, 77.6% and 87.9% were aware of the radiation-laden nature of CT and plain X-rays, respectively. Furthermore, 34% and 50%, respectively, think that they are not exposed to radiation at home and on a plane. Regarding the fatal cancer risk from CT, 17.8% chose the correct answer and 62% underestimated the risk. 32.2% correctly esti- mated the equivalent dose of CT in terms of number of conventional X-rays and 43.2% underestimated the dose. Most (98.2%) were told of the indica- tion, and 42.7% were told the associated radiation dose. Conclusion: Patient radiation awareness is unsatisfactory. There is need to increase patient radiation awareness, and to provide them with the necessary information. Key words: knowledge and awareness; patient; questionnaire study; radiation dose; radiological imaging. Introduction With the advent of advanced imaging technology, radio- logical procedures are increasingly being used in the diagnosis and even management of a wide range of diseases. While these greatly facilitate management of patients in various clinical settings, indiscriminate ordering of such imaging modalities pose risks to patients, the most worrying of which is cancer. Ionizing radiation may cause genetic damage that leads to can- cer. 1,2 By mathematical extrapolation from studies, such as those of atomic bomb survivors in Japan, victims of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in Ukraine and of people persistently exposed to high levels of radiation at work bs_bs_banner Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology 57 (2013) 38–44 © 2012 The Authors Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology © 2012 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists 38