This study took into account exposure resulting from conventional radiology, computed tomography (CT), diagnostic nuclear medicine, and interventional radiology. Its objective was to compile as comprehensive a list as possible of available information sources and data in order to determine the nature and frequency of exposure within the population, as well as the associated doses and their trends over time. The following article summarizes this study, with particular emphasis on the findings that guide, at the level of the French population, the priorities for a system to monitor radiation exposure during diagnostic radiology. It also seemed useful to put this recent assessment into perspective with the previous situation in France as well as with the situation observed internationally. (Excerpt)