Measurement of Patient Radiation Doses during Certain Diagnostic Radiography Procedures

Abstract

Aims: The aims of this study were to measure the radiation dose to patients in certain routine x-ray examinations and to estimate organs equivalent and effective doses. Study Design: This prospective study included 220 adult patients who underwent 9 radiographic X ray imaging procedures. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted Sharg Elneel Model Hospital (A), Fidail Hospital (B), Al-Amal Hospital (C) and Medical Corps Hospital (D), Khartoum state, Sudan, between June, 2013-August, 2015. Methodology: The entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) was measured for four radiographic examinations using thermo luminescence dosimeters (TLD-GR200A). A total of 220 patients were examined in four hospitals. Results: The mean ESAK (mGy) for the chest, hand, knee joint, leg, shoulder, foot, arm, ankle and lumbar spine were 0.40±0.04, 0.36±0.03, 0.64±0.07, 0.39±0.04, 0.35±0.02, 0.54±0.02, 0.26±0.02, 0.46±0.03  and 1.98±1.1, respectively. The overall effective dose was 0.16±0.05 mSv. Conclusions: The results of ESAK were comparable with previous studies. Patient’s doses showed wide variations in the same types of x-ray examination due to the choice of exposure factors, technique, focus-to-film distance, filter, film-screen speed and the output of the x-ray units and processor quality were used.