4. Medical irradiation

Medical practice is a major source of radiation, accounting for a quarter of the average dose received by French people, far ahead of all industrial activities. But talking in terms of doses is not enough, because we must not forget the immense benefits of X-rays and the use of ionizing radiation in terms of public health. Any comparison must be made between countries at the same medical level, which the WHO classifies into 4 categories.

If we refer to UNSCEAR figures, in 1990 France had for 56 million inhabitants, 19,548 X-ray machines, 32,438 dental X-ray machines, 316 ⁶⁰ Co or ¹³⁷ Cs bombs, 147 medical gas pedals, 548 nuclear medicine departments.