Equivalent dose to organs and tissues in hysterosalpingography calculated with the FAX (FemaleAdult voXel) phantom

Abstract

Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is a radiological examination indicated for investigating infertility or uterine and tubal pathologies. Women who undergo HSG are relatively young, typically between 20 years and 40 years, and equivalent doses to the ovaries are usually reported to be around 4 mSv per examination. A review of studies on patient dosimetry in HSG revealed that almost all absorbed doses to organs and tissues had been calculated with conversion coefficients (CCs) based on hermaphrodite versions of MIRD5-type phantoms. The CCs applied had been taken from data sets for abdominal or pelvic examinations because CCs for HSG examination were not available. This study uses the FAX (Female Adult voXel) phantom in order to calculate equivalent doses to radiosensitive organs and tissues especially for exposure conditions used in HSG. The calculations were also performed for the MIRD5-type EVA phantom to demonstrate the influence of anatomical differences on organ equivalent dose. The results show organ and tissue equivalent doses as a function of the variations of the exposure conditions. At 4.56 mSv the ovarian equivalent dose calculated for the FAX phantom is about 21% greater than the average ovarian equivalent dose reported in the literature, which reflects the anatomical differences between the FAX and the MIRD5-type phantoms.