Calculations of effective dose in diagnostic radiology

Abstract EN

The study was performed to compare two methods used for effective dose (ED) calculations in diagnostic radiology and to evaluate the ED distribution in radiological departments in four major hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan.

Dissymmetric data for six radiographic projections and a sample of 346 patients were used in the study.

First, ED was calculated from entrance skin dose using NRPB-SR262 Monte Carlo data.

Second, energy imparted () to each patient was estimated using entrance skin exposure, half value layer and the beam area at the entrance plane.

ED was then estimated using projection specific ED/ conversion factors.

Mean ED values calculated using the two methods were: 21.3-23.4, 14.1-12.8, 7.9-8.5, 232-226, 215-223 and 91-85.6 µ Sv for chest PA, Skull AP / PA, Skull LAT, Pelvis AP, Lumbar Spine AP and Lumbar Spine LAT examinations, respectively.

The values obtained are in good agreement between themselves and with data reported in the literature.