Koreans Undergo 7 Radiation Examinations Annually... Annual Radiation Exposure Increasing

Published 18 Feb.2024 15:15(KST)

It was found that Koreans undergo an average of 6.8 medical radiation examinations per year. The total number of examinations increased by 15% compared to two years ago, and the corresponding radiation exposure also rose by 11%.

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan Image

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) disclosed data on the use of medical radiation over the past three years (2020?2022) on the 18th. According to the data, the annual number of medical radiation examinations for the entire population increased by 14.6%, from approximately 308 million cases in 2020 to about 352 million cases in 2022. Per capita, the number rose from 5.9 examinations in 2020 to 6.8 in 2022.

Radiation exposure also increased, with the total exposure rising from 127,524 man·Sv (man·Sievert) in 2020 to 141,831 man·Sv in 2022, an 11.2% increase. Man·Sv is a unit representing the sum of individual radiation doses within a group exposed to radiation. The per capita exposure increased from 2.46 mSv (millisievert) to 2.75 mSv. The mSv unit is used to evaluate radiation dose (effective dose).

Compared globally, both the number of examinations and radiation exposure were higher than those in other countries. The 6.8 medical radiation examinations per capita in 2022 were 11 times higher than the world average of 0.6 examinations (2009?2018). Additionally, radiation exposure was about five times higher than the global average of 0.57 mSv. The KDCA explained, "There are limitations in direct comparisons due to differences in national healthcare levels," but added, "It was identified as somewhat higher than in other countries."

Regarding types of examinations, general radiography accounted for 282 million cases (5.5 per capita), making up 80.2% of all examinations. Dental radiography (12.1%), computed tomography (CT) scans (3.8%), and mammography (2.1%) followed. Among these, although CT scans accounted for a small proportion of the total number of examinations, their radiation dose per examination was high, contributing 93,022 man·Sv, which is 65.6% of the total radiation exposure.

Ji Young-mi, director of the KDCA, stated, "To reduce unnecessary medical radiation exposure for the public, we provide the 'Medical Imaging Diagnostic Justification Guidelines' that doctors can refer to when deciding on radiological examinations." She added, "We will continue to strive to create an environment where the public can use medical radiation with confidence."