Effective dose in Albanian direct chest fluoroscopy

Area of Science:

• Radiological Physics
• Medical Imaging
• Public Health

Background:

• Direct fluoroscopy is prevalent in Albania due to limited X-ray film availability, particularly for chest radiology.
• Assessing radiation dose and associated risks is crucial for patient safety in medical imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify patient skin dose and effective dose for direct fluoroscopy units in Albania.
• To compare radiation doses with established benchmarks and UK radiography practices.

Main Methods:

• A Quality Assurance (QA) protocol assessed X-ray unit parameters (potential accuracy, half-value layer, output).
• Organ-equivalent doses were measured using an anthropomorphic phantom and thermoluminescent dosimeters for chest fluoroscopy.
• Dose data were normalized to specific beam parameters representing common techniques.

Main Results:

• Effective doses ranged from 0.06 to 0.42 mSv for a 20-second PA chest fluoroscopy examination.
• Mean effective dose was 0.22 mSv, approximately 13 times higher than UK film/screen radiography.
• Entrance surface dose was 50 times greater than the EU reference level.

Conclusions:

• Direct fluoroscopy in Albania delivers substantially higher radiation doses than recommended standards and UK practices.
• Urgent optimization of X-ray equipment and protocols is needed to reduce patient radiation exposure.
• Findings underscore the importance of regular quality assurance and dose monitoring in medical imaging settings.