Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Radioprotection / Radiation dose, CT, Audit and standards, Biological effects
Authors:
M. Bernardo, F. Morgado, F. A. Almeida; SAO PAULO/BR
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2021/C-12423
Background
Monitoring the patient’s dose system in radiological exams has been a national and international concern [1-3]. The International Atomic Energy Agency [4] and the World Health Organization [5], as well as the rules of Brazilian Legislation [6], have focused on the dose reference level and patient safety.
Some automated data monitoring software has been developed to audit and monitor dose CT, contributing to optimization.
The Dose Index Registry (DIR) system was launched in 2011 by the American College of Radiology and provides an american database of radiation dose indices for CT scans, also used in other countries to compare protocols [7,8].
Methods
This prospective quantitative study implemented the Dose Index Registry (DIR) system [7,8] in the tomography sector of a private Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, from January 2019 to June 2020. Approved by the Ethics Committee (CAEE: 2748018.5.0000.5373).
The implementation of the project included (figure 01) :
- Alignment of tomography exam nomenclatures according to a DIR platform.
- Collection of CT dose report information data through DICOM for DIR platform.
- Analysis of data from periodic dose reports, including DLP, CTDI vol, and SSDE; stratified by age group.
- Correlation of data with dose report and DIR parameters.
- Recommendations to adjusting of CT protocols.
- Revaluation.
- Application of a questionnaire about the team’s perception of the project.
- Planning of permanent education strategies.
CT Equipment
- The equipment used was a 64 Slice CT Scanner Philips 2013.
- CT image quality test and Z-Axis Dose Modulation (Z-DOM and D-DOM) were applied.
- The ionization chamber presented a reading variation of 5 to 10% in relation to equipment’s Dose Report.