Does 100 mm photofluorography always have a dose advantage over conventional film-screen radiography in barium meals?

ABSTRACT

It is generally held that 100 mm photofluorography has a significant dose saving advantage over conventional radiography. The dose area product (DAP) data for the two formats were available for study in consecutive patients undergoing barium meal examination. There was no significant difference in DAP readings between the two formats. Conventional radiographs expose a 40% greater area than the 100 mm format, probably accounting for the lower mean DAP value of photofluorography. The mean DAP for whole examinations was 26.1 Gy cm2 for photofluorography, and 30.5 Gy cm2 for conventional radiography. These are both above the third quartile of national reference dose levels. There is little apparent difference in the doses incurred by patients between the two formats in respect of the working practice of the department. Barium meals will therefore continue to be recorded on both formats.