Keywords:
Radioprotection / Radiation dose, CT, Radiation safety, Quality assurance
Authors:
S.-W. Yoon1, J. Kim2, J. Kim3, S.-K. Lee3; 1Gyunggi-Do/KR, 2Chungbuk/KR, 3Seoul/KR
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-2497
Conclusion
This work establishes DRLs by using data from the largest source in the nationwide survey of CT dose information from actual patient examinations.
The survey included 369 CT systems,
of those were about 20 % of nationwide installed CT system.
The use of DRLs has been shown to reduce the overall dose and the range of doses observed in clinical practice.
For example,
in the United Kingdom,
DRLs of 2005 for radiography,
fluoroscopy,
and dental x-rays were approximately 16% lower than those in DRLs of 2000 and were approximately half of those in the mid-1980s.
[4]
Korean government published the first CT DRLs in 2008.
This survey provides new CT DRLs for the 13 adult CT protocols and pediatric head CT protocols in 2016.
(Figure 4-6) Most of the protocols showed similar DRLs with data from other countries.
Chest and abdomen-pelvic CT showed lower values in this survey than DRLs of the first national survey and other countries.
Pediatric non-contrast brain CT protocols in each age group except ages between 11 and 15 years showed lower DRLs than the result of other countries.
The second national CT DRLs are similar to or lower in some protocols than the data of the first national survey and other countries.
Optimization according to the DRL can enhance the protection of the patient from the radiation during CT.