Effective Dose and Dose Area Product Assessment for Postero-Anterior Erect Chest X-ray Examinations of Adult Patients in a Selected Teaching Hospital in SriLanka

Abstract

Since the use of X-ray facilities and equipment has increased rapidly in medical practices and diagnostic radiology has an enormous share of public dose from man-made sources, a much greater attention has been paid to maintain the doses received by patients at a low level. According to the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 1991 publication, the effective dose (ED) is a convenient indicator of overall risk-related exposure of the patient from an X-ray examination and dose area product (DAP) is a valuable radiation dose descriptor. This study aimed to assess the EDs (mSv) and DAPs (mGy.cm2) to the patients of age over 18years, who were undergoing Postero-Anterior (PA) erect chest X-ray examinations at Kurunegala Teaching Hospital and to determine whether the estimated mean ED and DAP values are higher than the reference values or not. A quantitative study was done on a convenience sample of fifty (50) patients selected separately for two (2) X-ray machines using an indirect method to estimate the ED and DAP values. Mean ED and mean DAP values were calculated for each machine. Calculated mean EDs were compared with the typical value given by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and with the values found in similar literature. The results have shown that the estimated mean EDs of 0.0019 mSv and 0.0024 mSv were less (P<0.05) than the recommended value of 0.02 mSv and those in Sudan of 0.025 mSv and in Iran of 0.055 mSv. The estimated mean DAPs of 13.13 mGy.cm2 and 17.51 mGy.cm2 were also less (P<0.05) than those in UK of 120 mGy.cm2 and in Romania of 110 mGy.cm2. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that the X-ray machines and the exposure parameters used are acceptable in terms of dose to the patient. The findings of this study can serve as basic data for effective radiation protection and safe radiation management. This study suggests that establishing of local diagnostic reference levels (LDRL) is important so that researchers can compare their work.