Assessment of entrance skin doses for patients undergoing diagnostic X-ray examinations in King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah, KSA

Abstract

Assessment of entrance skin doses for patients in conventional diagnostic radiology examinations should be made as a means for the optimization of the radiation protection of the patients. We estimated the entrance skin dose received by patients undergoing diagnostic X-ray examinations, including the entrance skin doses for 500 patients in six types of X-ray examinations. The entrance skin dose was determined indirectly via measurements and from knowledge of X-ray output factors. We entered the measurements parameters such as X-ray dose output, back scatter factor, and focus to skin distance and we used questionnaire physical parameters such as mAs and kV in mathematical model. The mean and standard deviation for entrance skin doses for chest PA, skull AP, abdomen, C-spine, pelvic AP, hand and foot were 0.138 ± 0.04, 2.07 ± 0.12, 2.5 ± 0.140, 0.18 ± 0.11, 5.41 ± 0.33, and 0.102 ± 0.01 mGy, respectively. The results obtained were compared with the reference levels of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The entrance skin dose calculation was took into account the patient thickness. Further studies are required for minimization of radiation doses to sensitive organs.

Keywords

• Entrance skin dose
• Diagnostic
• Radiology
• Focus to skin distance