Annals of emergency medicine
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Many emergency departments and trauma centers utilize extensive radiologic studies during the assessment of trauma patients. A point of concern arises about the possible biological effects of these cumulative radiation doses. The objective of this study is to determine the amount of ionizing radiation received by adult blunt trauma patients at a Level I trauma center during the first 24 hours of their care. ⋯ Trauma patients meeting the less acute major triage criteria are exposed to clinically important radiation doses from diagnostic radiographic imaging during the first 24 hours of their care.