Keywords:
Dosimetric comparison, Radiation safety, Equipment, Dosimetry, Digital radiography, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Radiographers
Authors:
E. Higgins, K. Matthews; Dublin/IE
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2019/C-1982
Conclusion
This undergraduate experimental study was conducted in a single hospital to allow findings to be implemented into clinical practice.
The study found that the ECF and DS controls are consistently set up to achieve proportionate change in exposure for each step of each control,
and thus can be effectively applied to produce predictable change in exposure,
and therefore in DAP.
Some experimental limitations existed in that indicative noise values were gathered from post processed images rather than images without processing such as grayscale transformations and edge restoration [13].
Despite this,
the current study established that AEC settings in the clinical site can be modified to reduce patient dose without having a detrimental effect on diagnostic image quality.
In particular:
- Pelvis and lumbar spine images with the same or better image quality than in current practice were obtained at DAP doses 52% lower than in clinical practice.
- This reduction was achieved through manipulation of ECF and DS settings for the AEC.
- The post-processing that is automatically applied to images after exposure is effective at smoothing noise to a point where it does not impact on observer VGA scores of image quality.
- The AEC dose constant currently set-up in the clinical site is not optimised.
Whilst the current study indicates it could be reduced by up to 52%,
further investigation across a wider range of examinations is required to confirm the scale of the possible reduction.
Clinical Outcome and Closing Opinion
The radiographers in the clinical site have been informed of the results.
Whilst AEC dose constants should be investigated for optimal set up,
radiographers can also utilise the ECF and DS controls on AEC devices to effectively reduce patient dose and maintain image quality,
thus adhering to the ALARA principle.