COMPARATIVE SURVEY OF RADIATION DOSES TO PATIENTS IN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN A FEDERAL HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective – to analyze radiation exposure due to computed tomography (CT) of brain, chest, abdomen and pelvis in a large multifield federal hospital and feasibility of low-dose CT-examinations. Material and methods. Retrospective analysis was performed using data from electronic patient records and PACS from a single multi-field hospital. Data were obtained from 1626 records of patients (794 men, 832 women; age range 17–93) scanned with 3 MDCT during one year. CT-examinations of good quality were selected, volumetric CT dose index (CTDI) and dose-length product (DLP) were collected for each of them. The effective doses (ED) were calculated using the normalized coefficients according to Russian Guidance. Results. Number and structure of CT-examinations for the years 2012–2014 in a multi-field hospital were analyzed. The mean effective dose (M±m) values with/without contrast medium (respectively), according to anatomical areas were as follows: brain – 2,34 ± 0,03/3,52 ± 0,23, chest – 4,83 ± 0,11/ 11,02 ± 0,82, abdomen-pelvis – 9,81±0,40/36,6±1,17, chest-abdomen-pelvis – 12,41 ± 0,79/35,63 ± 1,81 mSv. Conclusion. Results of this study give an example of CT dose values and distribution in a multi-field hospital. They are comparable with reference levels published of other authors. This experience should be expanded for creation of CT national reference values and for co-operation with international initiatives (EUROSAFE projects).

Keywords

• computed tomography
• radiation safety
• mean radiation dose of patients
• diagnostic reference levels
• low-dose ct-examinations