Under IR(ME)R 2000, who is responsible for deciding the appropriate imaging and justifying any exposure?

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Under IR(ME)R 2000, the person with clinical responsibility for the radiological procedure is the practitioner, and this is the one who decides whether imaging is appropriate and justifies the exposure. They assess the patient’s clinical needs, weigh the potential diagnostic benefit against the radiation risk, and specify the technique and dose to be used. In short, justification and imaging appropriateness are ultimately the practitioner’s responsibility because they oversee the medical necessity and the optimization of the procedure.

The referrer provides the clinical indication and requests the exam, but does not decide on exposure justification. The operator performs the exposure according to the practitioner’s instructions and adheres to protection measures, not the justification decision. The employer ensures regulatory compliance and resource provision, but the on-the-spot justification rests with the practitioner.