THE IMAGE QUALITY AND PATIENT DOSES IN SIMPLE RADIOGRAPHIC EXAMINATIONS: ESTABLISHING GUIDANCE LEVELS AND COMPARISON WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

Abstract

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mentioned in the International Basic Safety Series Number 115 that the optimization of medical exposure should be considered in the terms of the image quality and the radiation dose the patient received. The guidance levels (GL) for medical exposure should be established as the intention to be an indication of doses for averaged size patients. It should be applied with flexibility to allow higher exposures with clinical judgments and should be revised as technology and technique improve. This study is part of IAEA Research which the data were collected at two sites with high load on simple radiographic examinations. The reject analysis was as high as seven percents and the patient skin dose was also higher than the IAEA GL for the chest examination at one site. After reviewing of the data, the education and training for the technologists were immediately scheduled. The quality control was regularly performed and the patient dose was reduced as the high kVp technique was implemented. The maximum skin dose was within the guidance level. It is recommended that the image quality, the retake analysis and the patient skin dose should be obtained and reviewed regularly. The National GL should be established by the professional societies and the National Atomic Energy Authority for the benefit of the patients.