[THE DETERMINATION OF EFFECTIVE EQUIVALENT DOSES DURING CHEST RADIOLOGY IN PATIENTS]

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiological Protection
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Medical radiation significantly contributes to population radiation doses, increasing associated health risks.
• Accurate determination of patient radiation doses during X-ray diagnostic procedures is crucial for risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine and determine the effective equivalent doses (EED) in patients undergoing X-ray examinations.
• To compare EED with superficial dose indexes commonly used for radiation risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Experimental modeling using a phantom and Thermoluminescent Dosimeters (TLDs).
• Measurement of average absorbed doses in specific organs and calculation of EED.
• Comparison of calculated EED with inputted exposure and superficial dose indexes.

Main Results:

• The effective equivalent dose for chest X-rays was determined to be 122 mrem.
• A significant discrepancy was observed between EED and superficial dose indexes; EED was approximately eight times higher than superficial dose indexes (1400mR vs 1000mR).
• Radiation exposure to non-target organs like the liver and gastrointestinal tract significantly contributes to overall patient radiation exposure.

Conclusions:

• Protecting non-target organs, even if not the primary imaging target, is advisable during X-ray procedures.
• The contribution of "other" organs to total radiation exposure is substantial, comparable to target organs like lung lobes.
• Computational methods show promise for accurately determining EED in patients to better assess X-ray radiation risk.