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Dynamic swallowing study and radiation dose to patients
1Servizio di Fisica Sanitaria, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, IRCCS, Istituto Scientifico di Pavia, Via A. Ferrata 8, 1-27100 Pavia, Italy. l.moro@fsm.it
La Radiologia Medica
|April 21, 2006
Summary
This study defines an optimal radiological procedure for evaluating swallowing disorder therapy, finding that the kerma-area product (KAP) and effective dose are low, indicating minimal radiation risk for patients undergoing this diagnostic imaging.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Physics
- Swallowing Disorders
Background:
- Rehabilitation therapy is crucial for managing swallowing disorders.
- Radiological procedures are used to assess treatment efficacy.
- Quantifying radiation dose is essential for patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an optimal radiological procedure for assessing swallowing disorder rehabilitation.
- To determine the effective and organ dose for patients undergoing this procedure.
- To quantify the associated radiation risk.
Main Methods:
- Kerma-area product (KAP) measurements and image quality assessments were performed using phantoms.
- Twenty-two patients had their KAP, screening time, and average voltage recorded.
- Radiation risk was estimated using dedicated software based on recorded KAP values.
Main Results:
- Median KAP was 2.1 Gy cm², with a median effective dose of 0.35 mSv.
- A strong correlation (R²=0.85) was observed between KAP and exposure time.
- Thyroid exposure contributed most to the effective dose (median 6 mGy).
Conclusions:
- The defined radiological procedure yields KAP values lower than those in interventional radiology.
- Entrance skin doses are below the threshold for deterministic effects.
- The probability of stochastic effects at the median effective dose is low (approx. 1 in 39,000).