At Tristán Associates we strive to constantly improve our understanding of the risks and benefits of all aspects of medical imaging and in particular the risks posed by ionizing radiation. Given the recent publicity surrounding the possible contribution of CT scans to overall cancer risk, the radiologists at Tristán Associates want to emphasize the role that risk assessment and dosage minimization play in our practice.

Patient safety is our highest priority. To maximize patient safety, we undertake measures to provide effective dose monitoring and radiation reduction in CT imaging.

Examples of radiation exposure reduction practices we employ at Tristán Associates include but are not limited to:

• shielding of radiosensitve tissues such as the breasts, thyroid gland and eyes,
• dose modulation software incorporated into all our CT scanners which reduces dose per image, and
• dose protocols tailored to our patients.

All our facilities are accredited through the American College of Radiology (ACR). This accreditation involves a rigorous review process to ensure we meet nationally accepted standards. As part of the ACR accreditation process our CT scanners are appropriate for the tests you will receive and our facilities meet or exceed quality assurance and safety guidelines.

In addition we are a proud supporter of Image Gently (see links) which is an initiative of the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging. Our current pediatric dose protocols are based on age and weight and reflect lower exposure than recommended by the American College of Radiology.

Our radiologic technologists and radiologists at Tristán Associates are highly trained and bring many years of experience to CT imaging and patient safety.

We encourage you to speak to your physician, radiologist or radiologic technologist about any safety concerns you may have regarding a proposed or scheduled radiology exam.

Additional information regarding the risks of ionizing radiation and CT imaging may be found here.