Detection of Unintended or Accidental Medical Exposures in Radiotherapy Through Patient Response

Unintended and accidental medical exposures have been identified in a variety of ways, including patient responses to radiation. Many such incidents have been reported in the IAEA Safety in Radiation Oncology (SAFRON) voluntary reporting and incident learning system. Failure to recognise such exposures can have significant consequences for patients, including recurrence of disease and life-threatening medical injuries. This TECDOC provides radiotherapy professionals with an overview of case studies in which patient responses to radiotherapy were unexpected, leading to the identification of unintended and accidental medical exposures. It offers guidance to help professionals minimize or prevent such exposures and provides practical solutions for investigating these responses, along with recommendations for determining appropriate actions.