DOSIMETRY OF ADULT AND PEDIATRIC PATIENTS FOR COMMON DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY EXAMINATIONS

The present work reports dosimetry data on adult and pediatric patients for some common radiographic examinations during the standard hospital routine. The measurements are the part of quality assurance program to determine radiation exposures to patients in these examinations. The entrance skin doses (ESDs) of the patients were measured from 2451 projection for 12 diagnostic examinations in digital radiography (DR). The ESDs in adult patient were measured using thermoluminescence dosemeters placed on the skin of the patient. In pediatric patients, ESDs were evaluated from the measured air kerma with ionization chamber, patient specific parameters and known values of machine exposure factors during examinations. The third quartile values of ESDs are proposed as local diagnostic reference levels (LDRLs) for radiographic examinations having statistical significant number of exposures (n ≥ 20). The proposed LDRL values are also compared with earlier published LDRL/DRL values.