In relation with the IAEA/RCA Human Health Projects, a "Regional Training Course (RTC) on Radiation Protection for Doctors (non-radiologists & non-cardiologists) using Fluoroscopy" will be held on 4-5 September 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand in cooperation with the government of New Zealand through the National Radiation Laboratory, Christchurch.

The broad strategic objective of the training course is to create awareness about the requirements of International Basic Standards (BSS) in medical exposure and application of requirements to specialties covered in the course (orthopedic surgery, urology, gastroenterology and gynecology) with the objective of patient dose management while achieving diagnostic and therapeutic purpose.

The course will cover topics such as: how high are the radiation doses to the patients in therapeutic interventional procedures, case reports of patients with radiation doses from interventional procedures, how the doses can be reduced by the operator while maintaining the required image quality and therapeutic objective, what radiation effects one needs to be concerned with, how much is the latent period for radiation effects, follow-up of patients to monitor radiation effects, existing guidance and recommendations by international agencies. The operator radiation doses in such procedures also being significant, monitoring and control of doses to the specialist shall be included.

It is hoped that the course would help Member States in capacity building in radiation protection in the specialized areas in medical field as mentioned above where radiation is increasingly used but there is lack of training of medical specialists in radiation protection. It shall reduce radiation risk to patients undergoing procedures involving X rays.

For further information on the Course, please email Mr. Brian Lunt, Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand, at BrianL@adhb.govt.nz or fax 09-630-9877.