Explain the term "radiation dose monitoring."

Radiation dose monitoring refers to the systematic tracking of the amount of radiation exposure received by patients and healthcare workers during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. This is crucial for ensuring safety and minimizing the risk of radiation-related health issues. By keeping accurate records of radiation doses, medical facilities can assess whether the levels of exposure are within safe limits, adhere to regulatory standards, and implement necessary precautions to protect individuals from unnecessary radiation.

Accurate dose monitoring is essential in the radiology field, as it helps in the optimization of imaging protocols and ultimately contributes to better patient care. It also plays a vital role in occupational safety for radiology staff, helping to maintain exposure levels at or below established limits to prevent radiation injuries.

Other options, such as calculating the cost of procedures or recording appointment times, do not pertain to the direct measurement of radiation exposure and thus are not relevant to the concept of radiation dose monitoring. Similarly, while measuring the weight of equipment may be important for logistical reasons, it has no connection to tracking radiation exposure.