Radiation doses and risks to neonates undergoing radiographic examinations in intensive care units in Tunisia

Abstract

Original ArticleAbstract Purpose: To assess the radiation doses to neonates from diagnostic radiography in order to derive the local diagnostic reference levels (LDRLs) for optimisation purposes. Methods: This study was carried out in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of two hospitals in Tunis. 134 babies, with weights ranging from 635 g to 6680 g, performed chest-abdomen X-ray examinations. Neonates were categorized into groups of birth weight. For each X-ray examination, patient data and exposure parameters were recorded. Dose area product (DAP) was measured and entrance surface dose (ESD) was estimated. Effective dose was calculated from the Monte Carlo simulation software PCXMC. Results: DAP values increased with neonatal weight and demonstrated a wide variation (5.0 -43.0 mGy.cm 2 , mean 23.4 mGy.cm 2 ) for patient weight from 600 g to 4000 g. A wide variation was also observed for ESD (14 -93 μGy, mean 55.2 μGy). The LDRLs expressed in term of DAP were estimated to be 17.6 mGy.cm 2 and 29.1 mGy.cm 2 for the first and the second NICU, respectively. In terms of effective dose, the average value was about 31.6 μSv single radiological examination. The results show the necessity to use a standardized protocol with high voltage technique combined to lower current time product (mAs) values and an adapted collimation which could lead to further reductions in the neonatal doses. Conclusion: This study presents the LDRLs and the effective doses for neonates in two NICUs and demonstrates the necessity to optimize patient protection for this category of patient.

The National Diagnostic Reference Level in Routine Digital Radiography Examinations in Iran

“…Furthermore, the technique varies in countries [13] Limpidly, the ICRP encourages regulatory authorities to set up DRLs which are consistent for the regional, national, or local area in which they would be applied. Contemplate the latest ICRP recommendations and the advances in digital radiology, the essence of patient dose recording and establishment of prognostic reference levels for digital radiology are indicated [14][15].…”

Analysis of Neonatal Radiographic Examination Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) and Scattering Dose (SD)

“…It is also necessary to be aware of the dangers posed, especially by exposure to scattered radiation. Radiographic examination of organs that have a high thickness and atomic number will require high X-ray energy as well, so that the scattered radiation is also high [5]- [8].…”