Computer tomography (CT) delivers high quality reproducible and detailed medical images within short time, but simultaneously it is the greatest contributor and continuously increasing source of population exposure. The number of CT scans worldwide represents only about 8% of all diagnostic examinations performed, but the connected radiation load creates 47% of the medical exposure. Similar situation is in Slovakia where this rapid growth of CT examinations emphasis the need for an effective implementation of the main principles of radiation protection it means the justification and...

In Slovakia is the fully automated radiation protection system (DQC- Dose Quality Control)utilized in most CT units ( in 71 from 116 existing), allowing the collection of relevant technical and patient parameters and the longterm monitoring of image quality by a QC phantom (Pro CT). The collected data (HU values, low and high contrast resolution, image homogeneity, noise level, artefacts, slice thickness, image geometry, alignment etc.(see Figure 1)are stored in a common server and are always available for the staff of the CT unit. The...

In the process of the implementation of the European Directive 2013/59/EURATOM, into the Slovak radiation protection legislation, it is very important to set the diagnostic reference values for CT units, for local and national possibility to confirm that the obtained radiation loadof the patient is in the established range of dose values. Together with stronger support of regular clinical quality audits at all CT units,it will promote improvement in patients radiation protection, in reduction of patient doses and increase of image quality.

D.Šalát, University of Ss.Cyril and Methodius in Trnava [email protected] D.Nikodémová, Slovak Medical University in Bratislava V. Lehotská, Oncology Institute of Ss.Elizabeth in Bratislava Authors of the poster participated in the EU projects: SENTINEL, ORAMED, DOSE-DATAMED.

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