Background/Introduction
In October 2014,
Västerbotten County (VLL),
Sweden,
installed Sectra DoseTrack1 for radiation exposure monitoring in radiology.
A versatile and robust IT-solution for exposure monitoring to assist with follow-up of the processes of justification and optimization had been discussed in multidisciplinary X-ray modality specific forums prior to the procurement.
In these forums radiologists and relevant specialist physicians work together with medical physicists and radiographers with progress of imaging.
Furthermore,
the need of an IT-solution had also been identified to fulfil legal demands from the Swedish Radiation...
Description of activity and work performed
The installation of Sectra DoseTrack is fairly straightforward from the user end,
involving the configuration of sending RDSR and MPPS metadata from an X-ray unit to be connected to the service.
During the installation process some assistance from certified service engineers is required due to restrictions in X-ray equipment software.
The following types of modalities,
of varying models,
from General Electric,
Siemens and Philips,
are connected to the service in VLL:
8 Computed Tomography (CT) units,
including SPECT/CT and PET/CT
10 Fluoroscopy units
12 Conventional...
Conclusion and Recommendations
VLL has used the Sectra DoseTrack radiation exposure monitoring IT-solution since October 2014.
Since then,
34 different X-ray units have been connected to the service and DICOM metadata associated with approximately 170 000 examinations and interventional procedures have been recorded.
Sectra DoseTrack offers a robust infrastructure for collecting DICOM metadata and presenting macroscopic information on radiation exposure levels,
which may be used to improve the processes of justification and optimization for healthcare providers.
It is clear that the focus of developing Sectra DoseTrack has so...
Personal/Organisational information
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
References
1.
Sectra,
“Sectra DoseTrack,” Sectra AB,
Linköping,
Sweden,
https://www.sectra.com/medical/dose_monitoring/
2.
NEMA,
“Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine,” Rosslyn,
Virginia,
USA,
http://dicom.nema.org/
3.
AAPM,
“Use of Water Equivalent Diameter for calculating patient size and Size-Specific Dose Estimates (SSDE) in CT,” Report of AAPM Task Group 220,
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (2014).
4.
AAPM,
“Size-Specific Dose Estimates (SSDE) in Pediatric and Adult Body CT Examinations,” Report of AAPM Task Group 204,
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (2012).
5.
OpenREM,
“Radiation Exposure Monitoring...