Patient absorbed doses in digital grey-scale fluorography

This article describes a preliminary comparison between the levels of patient dose used in digital grey-scale fluorography (DGF) and screen-film radiography. Patient doses were measured in three common radiographic examinations, postero-anterior chest, antero-posterior lumbar spine and lateral lumbo-sacral junction, using thermoluminescent dose-meters and an anthropomorphic phantom. Within the limitations of the image quality currently available in DGF, the findings indicate that digital radiography with the large-field X-ray image intensifier promises significant savings in patient dose compared with conventional radiography.