What is the primary purpose of radiation safety practices?

The primary purpose of radiation safety practices is to limit short-term somatic effects. This focus is crucial because radiation exposure can lead to immediate health consequences, such as skin burns, radiation sickness, and other acute effects that can manifest soon after exposure. Implementing safety protocols minimizes these risks for both patients and healthcare workers by controlling the amount of radiation that individuals are exposed to during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

In the context of healthcare, while enhancing imaging quality and managing equipment performance are important for effective medical imaging, they do not directly address the safety of individuals in terms of radiation exposure. Increasing radiation dose would contradict the essential tenets of safety practices, which aim to reduce unnecessary exposure. Therefore, prioritizing the reduction of acute harmful effects from radiation exposure is the foundational goal of radiation safety practices.