Patient dose monitoring in Dubai in radiography and interventional procedures.

This paper presents ongoing actions in Dubai on patient dose monitoring in digital radiographic examinations, mammography, interventional procedures, and dental radiological procedures. The aim of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is to move towards the establishment of local diagnostic reference levels. DHA has participated in national and regional projects under the umbrella of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The need for local radiation protection educational programmes and wider patient dosimetry monitoring and recording emerged from this work.

Utilisation of PACS to monitor patient CT doses.

In the past 5 y, the number of computed tomography (CT) studies has doubled at Dubai Health Authority hospitals. This situation, along with patient's overdoses reported internationally, has prompted action to establish a system to manage patient doses incurred due to medical imaging practices. In this work, the authors aim to homogenise dose reporting to monitor radiation dose levels and facilitate the establishment of local and national dose reference levels. The two hospitals enrolled in this study are equipped with three CT systems (two 4 slices and one 64 slices). Through the Picture Archive and Communication Systems (PACS) tracking system, it is mandatory to fill CT patient doses in radiology information system (RIS). Dose length product (mGy cm) was recorded for 2502 adult and 178 paediatric patients. All patients' dosimetry data were collected from the RIS by Cogonos statistical software. The PACS data were reviewed to exclude incomplete data. Average and range of effective doses for adult and paediatric patients were calculated using an appropriate weighting factor. Individual accumulated effective doses for adult and paediatric patients were calculated for 4s-scanner-1 only. Adult average effective doses for the head (1482 exams) were 1.23 ± 0.58, 2.84 ± 0.83 and 2.98 ± 1.103 mSv, the chest (545 exams) were 5.39 ± 1.63, 21.85 ± 5.63 and 18.19 ± 3.22 mSv and for the abdomen and pelvis (1183 exams) were 10.85 ± 4.26, 25.66 ± 8.83 and 26.46 ± 13.75 mSv for 4s-scanner-1, 4s-scanner-2 and 64 s, respectively. The paediatric average effective dose for the head (127 exams) was 1.77 ± 0.82 mSv, for the chest (22 exams) was 3.3 ± 1.29 mSv and for the abdomen and pelvis (27 exams) was 6.16 ± 2.64 mSv. Results of individual accumulated effective doses for adult and paediatric patients were presented. PACS dose reporting facilitated dosimetry clinical auditing. Effective doses obtained in this work demonstrated that the results of one scanner were within the international dose levels while the other two scanners were higher. Technical actions are recommended to standardise the dose levels.

Paediatric CT examinations in 19 developing countries: frequency and radiation dose.

The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency of computed tomography (CT) examinations for paediatric patients below 15 y of age in 128 CT facilities in 28 developing countries of Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe and to assess the magnitude of CT doses. Radiation dose data were available from 101 CT facilities in 19 countries. The dose assessment was performed in terms of weighted CT dose index (CTDI(w)), volume CT index and dose length product (DLP) for chest, chest (high resolution), lumbar spine, abdomen and pelvis CT examinations using standard methods. The results show that on average the frequency of paediatric CT examinations was 20, 16 and 5 % of all CT examinations in participating centres in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, respectively. Eleven CT facilities in six countries were found to use adult CT exposure parameters for paediatric patients, thus indicating limited awareness and the need for optimisation. CT images were of adequate quality for diagnosis. The CTDI(w) variations ranged up to a factor of 55 (Africa), 16.3 (Asia) and 6.6 (Eastern Europe). The corresponding DLP variations ranged by a factor of 10, 20 and 8, respectively. Generally, the CTDI(w) and DLP values in Japan are lower than the corresponding values in the three regions in this study. The study has indicated a stronger need in many developing countries to justify CT examinations in children and their optimisation. Awareness, training and monitoring of radiation doses is needed as a way forwards.