[Determining organ doses in the uterus during dental x-ray examinations]

It was the goal of this study to determine the uterine exposure to radiation during dental x-ray examinations and to assess the inherent radiation hazard to the fetus. The mean organ dose for the most common examination procedures was found to be 0.4 muSv (0.004 mrem) per radiograph. This figure may be reduced by a factor 2 when the patient wears a protective apron that meets the requirements of the German industrial standard DIN 6813. According to these results, dental radiography--of all diagnostic radiography procedures--involves the least radiation risk to the fetus. Based on ICRP's (International Commission on Radiation Protection) considerations on radiation risk and on the assumption of a linear dose-response relationship it may be concluded that there cannot be one case in a million pregnant women exposed to a uterine dose of 0.2 muSv where a fatal event has to be assumed.