Assessing Patient Exposure in Fluoroscopy

Abstract

In the United States, the Conference of Radiation Control Programme Directors (CRCPD), the umbrella organisation for state and local radiation control agencies, along with the federal government's Food and Drug Administration, conducts the Nationwide Evaluation of X ray Trends (NEXT) survey programme. The examination selected for the 1991 survey was the upper gastrointestinal fluoroscopy examination. The phantom developed for the 1991 survey approximates the abdominal region of a standard reference patient, is derived from a clinically validated phantom, and incorporates image quality test objects. The protocol enables the surveyor to measure fluoroscopic entrance air kerma rates (EKR) along with air kerma associated with radiographic techniques (photospot or spot film). Air kerma measurements are also made simulating barium. The assessment of patient dose from fluoroscopy and how it relates to the 1991 NEXT survey is presented.