Radiation protection associated with well women breast cancer screening

The letter from Moores and Henshaw (1992) raises several points which must be answered. However, we believe the answers are relatively simple provided certain points are kept clearly in mind. We wish to make the following comments: 1. To answer the first question in their second paragraph, “Irradiation of well women for screening purposes” does constitute medical exposure, for which there is no dose limit. Paragraph 2.16 of the Guidance Notes to the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 (NRPB, 1988) applies, which states: “Screening programmes… should be undertaken only if the expected medical benefits to the individuals examined and to the population as a whole exceed the economic and social costs, including the risks associated with the radiation dose involved. Since benefits are not always the same for all members of the population, screening should be limited normally to particular groups”.