Acronym

ALARA - As Low As Reasonably Achievable

Principle minimising radiation exposure while maintaining diagnostic quality

Expansion

As Low As Reasonably Achievable

Purpose

Guides dose reduction strategies in all ionising radiation procedures

Clinical Context

ALARA is a cornerstone of radiation protection. Techniques include: pulsed fluoroscopy, lead shielding, collimation, filtration, and technique optimisation.

  • Radiation protection:
  • Dose optimisation:
  • LDCT:
  • DLP:

Key Points

  • ALARA applies to X-rays, CT, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine - balance image quality against dose burden