Scattered Denial: A Film About Radiation Safety

When looking back on her medical education, Dr. Aimee Armstrong recalls that she received little training in radiation safety. Despite regular use of lead vests, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, which she attributes to the inadequacy of vests as a sole defense.

The links between X-ray radiation and cases of cancer in physicians are not yet fully understood, but certain foreboding patterns have been noticed. One of these is that operators develop cancers at a higher rate on the side of their body that is closest to the emitter.

“Over half of interventional cardiologists have orthopedic injuries, particularly spinal injuries . . . . Higher rates of . . . cancers have also been noted. We cannot accept this any longer. . . . [W]e must shift from accepting inadequate protection to . . . maximum safety.”

If you've ever worn a lead apron in an interventional laboratory, you know that the experience can be unpleasant. But what does the wear and tear of working in an interventional lab eventually add up to?—for many, severe orthopedic injury. Learn more at scattereddenial.com