<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Objective: The literature has approved that the use of the concept of diagnostic reference level (DRL) as a part of an optimization process could help to reduce patient doses in diagnostic radiology comprising the Computed Tomography (CT) examinations. There are four public/governmental CT centers in the province (Semnan, Iran) and, to our knowledge, after about 12 years since the launch of the first CT scanner in the province there is no dosimetry information on those CT scanners. The aim of this study was to evaluate CT dose indices with the aim of the establishment of the DRL for head, chest, cervical spine, and abdomen-pelvis examinations.Methods: Scan parameters of 381 patients were collected during two months from 4 CT scanners. The CT dose index (CTDI) was measured using a calibrated ionization chamber on two cylindrical poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantoms. For each sequences, weighted CTDI (CTDIw), volumetric CTDI (CTDIv) and dose length product (DLP) were calculated. The 75th percentile was proposed as the criterion for DRL values.Results: Proposed DRL (CTDIw, CTDIv, DLP) for the head, chest, cervical spine, and abdomen-pelvis were (46.1 mGy, 46.1 mGy, 723 mGy × cm), (13.8 mGy, 12.0 mGy, 377 mGy × cm), (40.0 mGy, 40.0 mGy, 572 mGy × cm) and (14.9 mGy, 12.1 mGy, 524 mGy × cm), respectively.Conclusion: Comparison with the others results from the other countries indicates that the head, chest and abdomen-pelvis scans in our region are lower or in the range of the other studies investigated in terms of dose. In the case of cervical spine scanning it’s necessary to review and regulate scan protocols to reach acceptable dose levels.</abstract>

Objective: The literature has approved that the use of the concept of diagnostic reference level (DRL) as a part of an optimization process could help to reduce patient doses in diagnostic radiology comprising the Computed Tomography (CT) examinations. There are four public/governmental CT centers in the province (Semnan, Iran) and, to our knowledge, after about 12 years since the launch of the first CT scanner in the province there is no dosimetry information on those CT scanners. The aim of this study was to evaluate CT dose indices with the aim of the establishment of the DRL for head, chest, cervical spine, and abdomen-pelvis examinations.Methods: Scan parameters of 381 patients were collected during two months from 4 CT scanners. The CT dose index (CTDI) was measured using a calibrated ionization chamber on two cylindrical poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantoms. For each sequences, weighted CTDI (CTDIw), volumetric CTDI (CTDIv) and dose length product (DLP) were calculated. The 75th percentile was proposed as the criterion for DRL values.Results: Proposed DRL (CTDIw, CTDIv, DLP) for the head, chest, cervical spine, and abdomen-pelvis were (46.1 mGy, 46.1 mGy, 723 mGy × cm), (13.8 mGy, 12.0 mGy, 377 mGy × cm), (40.0 mGy, 40.0 mGy, 572 mGy × cm) and (14.9 mGy, 12.1 mGy, 524 mGy × cm), respectively.Conclusion: Comparison with the others results from the other countries indicates that the head, chest and abdomen-pelvis scans in our region are lower or in the range of the other studies investigated in terms of dose. In the case of cervical spine scanning it’s necessary to review and regulate scan protocols to reach acceptable dose levels.

Establishment of diagnostic reference levels arising from common CT examinations in Semnan County, Iran

Department of Medical Physics, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine

Polish Journal of Medical Physics and Engineering

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Objective: The literature has approved that the use of the concept of diagnostic reference level (DRL) as a part of an optimization process could help to...

Establishment of diagnostic reference levels arising from common CT examinations in Semnan County, Iran

Published Online: Mar 28, 2019

Page range: 51 - 55

Received: Aug 19, 2018

Accepted: Dec 19, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2019-0008

Keywords
Diagnostic Reference Level, CT scanning, CT dose indices

© 2019 Daryoush Khoramian et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Establishment of diagnostic reference levels arising from common CT examinations in Semnan County, Iran

Published Online: Mar 28, 2019

Page range: 51 - 55

Received: Aug 19, 2018

Accepted: Dec 19, 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2019-0008

KeywordsDiagnostic Reference Level, CT scanning, CT dose indices

© 2019 Daryoush Khoramian et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Diagnostic Reference Level, CT scanning, CT dose indices