Knowledge of Ultrasound Safety in Pregnancy among Radiologists and other Health Workers in Nigeria.

Background: Routine obstetric ultrasound is commonly requested by health workers with indications ranging from medical reasons to social scans. It appears that these scans were done in oblivion of the potential biological and non-biological hazards. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess radiologists and health workers knowledge of ultrasound safety issues in Nigeria. Method: Questionnaires were administered during the 2007 Radiology Faculty Day Lecture organized by the National Postgraduate Medical College in Lagos while others were administered to some health personnel who perform ultrasound scans in Benin-city. 119 questionnaires were accepted whereas 10 were discarded because of multiple unfilled items. The questionnaire had 27 items that were categorized into 4 segments general demographic information, personal opinion about ultrasound performance and safety, knowledge of ultrasound bioeffects and opinion about the practice of ultrasound in Nigeria, Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15. Conclusion: Although there is more knowledge by radiologists. compared to other health workers concerning ultrasound safety issues, the performance was generally poor on issues regarding safety indices. Hence, it is recommended that structured enlightenment of the public and health sector be made and that national ultrasound safety standards be established. Finally, only properly trained personnel should be permitted to perform and interpret ultrasound scans.