Background: Fluoroscopy is an important, sometimes vital radiological procedure in paediatric patients with high variability in frequency and technique.
Objective: To obtain data on paediatric fluoroscopy practice in Europe using a simple questionnaire mailed to 191 children's hospitals.
Results: Eighty-eight radiology departments in 21 European countries participated in the survey. There was great variation in the size of paediatric hospitals in Europe and, consequently, the numbers of staff members (radiographers and radiologists). The total number of fluoroscopy procedures varied widely; the mean value was 1,073 examinations per year. The most frequent fluoroscopic examination was the micturating cystourethrogram, comprising 40% of total fluoroscopies. For all types of investigations there were enormous differences in the number of spot film images routinely obtained. Only a few departments have prepared protocols for junior doctors or radiographers.
Conclusions: Although the number of fluoroscopic investigations per radiologist does not reflect real workload (the difficulty of the investigation was not requested), it can be stated that a considerable percentage of children's hospitals are understaffed. These results also clearly demonstrate that fluoroscopy guidelines for the most common investigations in paediatric patients are needed to improve the quality of examinations and limit radiation exposure to the patients.