Abstract
This study was carried out on entrance skin dose (ESD) (Radiation) measurement and evaluation (for all age groups) at the State Specialist Hospital, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria. Entrance skin doses for randomly selected patients between 0-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-17 years and above 18 years old undergoing X-ray chest (Poster Anterior) examinations were measured and evaluation of the source-to-skin distance (SSD) records for the patients during the x-ray chest examinations were carried out. The mean ESD reported for chest PA projections were 66.43 µGy, 105.10 µGy, 215.76 µGy and 291.81 µGy respectively for age range 0 - 4 years, 5 - 9 years, 10 - 17 years and above 18 years. The ESD values reported in this present study were same with the NRPB recommendations of year 2000 of 50 µGy for newborn to 1-year-old, 70 µGy for 5 years and 120 µGy for 10 years old children. The values reported for age 1 to 4 years were lower than 0.1 mGy recommended and the mean ESD for age 5 to 9 years for chest PA examination was 0.11 mGy which is lower than the recommended 0.12 mGy. However, other values reported in this present study were compared with the guidance levels set by the International regulation bodies and were found to be within safe limits and they do not pose any significant health risk to the patients of all age ranges or the health workers. The effective radiation doses (ERDs) for all the age groups were computed, and by comparisons, it was found that the radiation risk factors (RRFs) are relatively low.
Highlights
The application of medical imaging in medical procedures has led to improvements during diagnosis and treatment of numerous medical conditions in children and adults
It has been suggested that minimum amount of X-ray radiation should be used during X-ray examination to minimize its effect and the entrance skin dose should be measured and monitored
= critical maximum effective radiation doses (ERDs) that can be tolerated
Summary
The application of medical imaging in medical procedures has led to improvements during diagnosis and treatment of numerous medical conditions in children and adults. There are many modalities of medical imaging procedures, each of which uses different technologies and techniques. Medical imaging which includes computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy and radiography (conventional X-ray); all make use of ionizing radiation to generate images of the body. Computed tomography (X-ray machines) which has dose modality has become more available in many developing nations such as Nigeria and about 3.6 billion imaging studies per year are carried out world-wide, leading to increase of 70% in worldwide collective effective dose for medical diagnostics procedures [8]. Improvements on designs of X-ray machines and X-ray facilities have led to drastic reductions in personnel doses in the last two decades, this is not same to patients [10]. Dose is greatest at the surface where radiation enters the body of the patient and the skin is the main organ for which there is a possibility of deterministic effect such as skin burn
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
