Background/introduction
Medical applications correspond to the main source of artificial exposure to ionizing radiation in the world population (1).
The acquisition of a specific radiological examination in different geographical locations (either cities or medical centers) may use different radiation doses for the same patient type,
being a very different landscape from what you expect in radiological practice (2).
In this context,
diagnostic reference levels are key to optimize this practice (3).
Description of activity and work performed
Description of activity and work performed
Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) in general radiology,
at Clínica Alemana de Santiago,
Chile (CAS).
Material and methods: The information was obtained using the DICOM MPPS (Digital Communications in Medicine-Modality Performance Procedure Steps communication protocol (4)),
which allows to take the DAP (Dose Area Product in Gy * cm2) values from each modality to a RIS -MPPS interface that will receive the data in the RIS system (HL7),
being associated to...
Conclusion and recommendations
Of a total of 11,679 examinations distributed in protocols by age range,
only 7 were comparable.
The obtained values were lower than those published in the UK,
excepting for lumbar spine,
due to difference in the protocols that were used.
There are remaining challenges to accurate the information (like considering patient thickness,
weight and size).
Nevertheless,
these are the first presentation of DRLs data in Chile.
Further analysis is needed to understand those factors influencing this value,
in order to optimize the radiological practice.
The...
Personal/organisational information
Mauricio Maturana,
MSc
Radiographer
Department of Radiology -Clinica Alemana de Santiago
Facultad de Medicina - Universidad del Desarrollo
Daniella Fabri,
PhD
Medical Phisycist
Department of Radiology -Clinica Alemana de Santiago
Facultad de Medicina - Universidad del Desarrollo
Pablo Soffia,
MD
Chairman
Department of Radiology -Clinica Alemana de Santiago
Facultad de Medicina -Universidad del Desarrollo
Ricardo Castillo
Vicechair,
Clinical Technology
Department of Radiology -Clinica Alemana de Santiago
Facultad de Medicina -Universidad del Desarrollo
References
1) Sources and effects of ionizing radiation.
United nations scientific committee on the effects of atomic radiationUNSCEAR2008,
report to the general assembly.
2) Raudales I.
Imágenes diagnósticas: Conceptos generales.
Rev.
Fac.
Cienc.
Méd.
2014; 11(1): 35- 43.
3) ICRP,
2017.
Diagnostic reference levels in medical imaging.
ICRP Publication 135.
Ann.
ICRP 46.
4) Journal of Digital Imaging,
Vol 18,
No 4 (December),
2005: pp 260Y269.
5)https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/diagnostic radiology-national-diagnostic-reference-levels-ndrls/national-diagnostic-reference-levels-ndrls#national-drls-for-general-radiography-and-fluoroscopy.
