Technical Note: Patient-weight dependence of the effective dose conversion coefficients for diagnostic x-ray imaging...

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiological Protection
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Accurate estimation of effective dose is crucial for patient safety in diagnostic radiology.
• Existing conversion coefficients for effective dose from air collision kerma may not fully account for patient weight variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method and provide reference data for evaluating the weight dependence of conversion coefficients.
• To establish a way to adjust effective dose calculations based on patient weight for diagnostic X-ray examinations.

Main Methods:

• Development of a physics-based analytical model.
• Utilized existing Monte Carlo-calculated conversion coefficients.
• Applied MIRD-5-type computational models.

Main Results:

• Presented analytical expressions to incorporate patient weight into effective dose assessment.
• Demonstrated consistent weight dependence of conversion coefficients across CT, radiography, angiography, and fluoroscopy.
• The correction factor depends on weight ratios and energy fractions imparted to the patient.

Conclusions:

• An approach and data are provided for estimating weight-dependent effective dose conversion coefficients.
• This facilitates more accurate patient dosimetry in diagnostic X-ray procedures.