Background/introduction
Computed tomography (CT)has been used in medicine since 1970s and is now firmly established as an essential tool for medical diagnosis and therapy.
On that context,
there has been a marked and steady increase in numbers and the use of CT in the past two decade (1),
and it,
now,
accounts for more than half of the medical radiation exposure of the European population in 2007-2010 (2).In Turkey,
in particular,
the number of CT scanners are still below OECD averages.
On that context,
the average...
Description of activity and work performed
Institutions
The presentation includes several public hospitals of2ndHealthcare Region of Istanbul Province (a.k.a.Anatolia North).
This region is constituted of 13 hospitals and 6 dental hospitals/centers.
In these institutions more than 3 million residents are being served; 11.1 million of outpatient admissions and 250 thousand surgical operations are being performed annually.
Formerly operated,
planned and managed independently,
radiology clinics of these hospitals are currentlyfunctioning as units of greaterAnatolia North Radiology (ANR).ANR is the largest imaging conglomerate of Turkey,
public and private.
The annual number of radiologic...
Conclusion and recommendations
The concept of DRL is beginning to be a well-defined tool in many countries and is used to reduce patient dose during medical interventions and examinations.All countries should therefore try to develop concepts in order to implement and use diagnostic reference level to ensure patient doses are reduced as much as possible.
Results shown in ANR are quite promising regarding patient and population health.
Ourkey success factors were standardization of protocols,
strict adherence to and uniformity of scanning technique powered by intensive trainingcourses and regular...
Personal/organisational information
About the primary author:Prof.
Hakki Muammer Karakas,
MD.,
is the Chief Officer and Chairman of Istanbul Provincial Public Imaging Services where 1/200hof world’s radiological services are conducted.He is also the Chairman of Radiology at FSM Research and Training Hospital,
Istanbul,
and professor of radiology at Health Sciences University of Turkey.
About the institutions:The presentation includes several public hospitals of2ndHealthcare Region of Istanbul Province (a.k.a.Anatolia North).
Rradiology clinics of these hospitals are currentlyfunctioning as units of greaterAnatolia North Radiology (ANR).The annual number of radiologic procedures in...
References
1.
Goldberg-Stein S,
Liu B,
Hahn PF,
et al.
Body CT during pregnancy: utilization trends,
examination Indications,
and fetal radiation doses.
AJR American Journal of Roentgenology,
2011;196:146-151.
2.
European Comission.
Radiation protection N° 180.
Diagnostic reference levels in thirty-six European countries.Directorate-General for Energy Directorate D — Nuclear Safety & Fuel Cycle Unit D3 - Radiation Protection,
2014
3.
Data extracted on 06 Jan 2019 12:10 UTC (GMT) fromOECD.Stat
4.
National Research Council.Health risks from exposure tolow levels of ionizing radiation: BEIR VII phase 2.
Washington,...