Has ionising radiation become more dangerous after Chernobyl?

Medical practice is the biggest man-made source of radiation. Justified examinations and treatments contribute greatly to health and welfare, but side effects include a risk of cancer and other stochastic effects in proportion to the dose, and at higher doses also deterministic effects such as severe burns. Patient doses present a complex mixture of justified increases and non-optimised (or worse) doses; selected exposures of medical staff are problematic. ICRP has issued comprehensive general guidance and is now providing more user-oriented guidance on specific problem areas. Future fundamental recommendations from ICRP, due around 2005, will impact further on medical radiation protection