Utilisation of PACS to monitor patient CT doses

In the past 5 y, the number of computed tomography (CT) studies has doubled at Dubai Health Authority hospitals. This situation, along with patient's overdoses reported internationally, has prompted action to establish a system to manage patient doses incurred due to medical imaging practices. In this work, the authors aim to homogenise dose reporting to monitor radiation dose levels and facilitate the establishment of local and national dose reference levels. The two hospitals enrolled in this study are equipped with three CT systems (two 4 slices and one 64 slices). Through the Picture Archive and Communication Systems (PACS) tracking system, it is mandatory to fill CT patient doses in radiology information system (RIS). Dose length product (mGy cm) was recorded for 2502 adult and 178 paediatric patients. All patients' dosimetry data were collected from the RIS by Cogonos statistical software. The PACS data were reviewed to exclude incomplete data. Average and range of effective doses for adult and paediatric patients were calculated using an appropriate weighting factor. Individual accumulated effective doses for adult and paediatric patients were calculated for 4s-scanner-1 only. Adult average effective doses for the head (1482 exams) were 1.23 ± 0.58, 2.84 ± 0.83 and 2.98 ± 1.103 mSv, the chest (545 exams) were 5.39 ± 1.63, 21.85 ± 5.63 and 18.19 ± 3.22 mSv and for the abdomen and pelvis (1183 exams) were 10.85 ± 4.26, 25.66 ± 8.83 and 26.46 ± 13.75 mSv for 4s-scanner-1, 4s-scanner-2 and 64 s, respectively. The paediatric average effective dose for the head (127 exams) was 1.77 ± 0.82 mSv, for the chest (22 exams) was 3.3 ± 1.29 mSv and for the abdomen and pelvis (27 exams) was 6.16 ± 2.64 mSv. Results of individual accumulated effective doses for adult and paediatric patients were presented. PACS dose reporting facilitated dosimetry clinical auditing. Effective doses obtained in this work demonstrated that the results of one scanner were within the international dose levels while the other two scanners were higher. Technical actions are recommended to standardise the dose levels.