Risks of chest X-ray examination for students

Chest X-ray (CXR) examination is considered essential for health checkups of students;thus, it is important to objectively assess the CXR for a better understanding of the appropriate X-ray exposure dose, and the risks such an examination entails. Accordingly, we performed a multi-institutional study regarding students' CXR exposure, during a 6year-period from 2002 (partially including 2001) to 2007, with the collaboration of national, municipal, and private universities and colleges in Japan. A glass badge was worn by the students at the time of CXR screening examination. These glass badges were collected, and their X-ray exposure doses were measured. The results indicated a tendency of decreasing exposure dose over the 6 years, though the difference was not significant. In a comparison of the chest X-ray systems within institutions (own X-ray equipmentinside systems) with those outside the institution (mobile X-ray equipmentoutside systems), the average exposure dose with the outside systems exceeded that of the inside systems. Both inside and outside systems included a few X-ray machines with which the exposure was more than 1mSv. Based on these facts, individuals in charge of student health checkups should be aware of the exposure dose of each chest fluorographic system at their institution.