Swiss National CT Dose Registry

Congress:

EuroSafe Imaging 2019

Poster Number:

ESI-0099

Type:

EuroSafe Imaging

Keywords:

Action 2 - Clinical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), Action 4 - Dose management systems, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, CT, CT-Angiography, Radiation safety, Education and training

Authors:

T. Viana Miranda Lima, D. Sigrist, S. Schindera

DOI:

10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0099

DOI-Link:

https://dx.doi.org/10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0099

Fig. 1: The large number of CT examinations in Switzerland.

Fig. 2: Overview of the Swiss National CT Dose Registry Structure.

Fig. 3: Web platform interface of the National CT Dose Registry.

Fig. 4: Example of data analysis tools: filtering by device manufacturer.

Fig. 5: Example of data analysis tools: filtering by local data.

Background/introduction

At the current time, approximately 255 institutes in Switzerland are equipped with at least one CT scanner, resulting in a combined total of over a million CT exams per year. While individual dose information is stored in a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) on a per-exam basis, systematic and comprehensive analysis usually requires high manual effort. However, such an analysis of patient exposure is inevitable for quality assurance and improvements in radiological processes.A national dose registry aims to serve as a central platform to...

Description of activity and work performed

Building a national dose registry requires the collaboration and participation of many institutes equipped with dose management system(DMS).A primary requirement for participating institutes is the utilisation of a DMS so that initial data collection and processing can be performed locally [2.3].Data submission is designed as a semi-automatic process, thus minimising the recurring effort of participating institutes and fostering a larger and more up-to-date data corpus.Currently, a feasibility study is being carried out. It is concerned with strategical topics such as financing and operations, but also...

Conclusion and recommendations

Technical aspects of the server, data structure and transfer preferences have been set from collaboration with major DMS vendors. A web-platform with basic analysis and reporting tools have been designed and deployed with previous available patient exposure data. Validation steps are currently being designed and extended. The Swiss National CT Dose Registry project aims to semi-automatically collect, aggregate and analyse CT radiation dose data from Swiss radiology institutes. A central platform is created which allows the exchange, publication and review of analyses based on a...

Personal/organisational information

Aarau Cantonal Hospital (KSA) is the largest hospital in the canton of Aargau and, next to the university hospitals, one of the largest center hospitals in Switzerland. As an inter-regional facility with a non-Cantonal charisma, the KSA has a first-class medical-technical infrastructure, is actively involved in research and is an important further education center for prospective specialists as well as an attractive employer for numerous occupational groups through the training of 31 specialist titles, 19 of them in A-status from care, therapy and operation. The...

References

[1] European Council Directive (2013)2013/59/Euratom on basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation and repealingDirectives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom.OJ of the EU. L13; 57: 1–73 (2014). [2] C. Heilmaier, R. Treier, E. M. Merkle, H. Alkhadi, D. Weishaupt and S. Schindera, “National survey on dose data analysis in computed tomography,”Eur Radiol ,2018. [3]R. M. Nicol, S. C. Wayte, A. J. Bridges and C. J. Koller, “Experiences of using a commercial dose management system (GE DoseWatch) for...