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Abstract
BackgroundThe frequency of CT procedures has registered a significant increase over the last decade, which led at the international level to an increasing concern on the radiological risk associated with the use of CT especially in paediatrics. This work aimed at investigating the use of computed tomography in Switzerland, following the evolution of CT frequency and dose data over a decade and comparing it to data reported in other countries.MethodsThe frequency and dose data related to CT are obtained by means of a nationwide survey. National frequencies were established by projecting the collected data, using the ratio of the number of CT units belonging to the respondents to the total number of CT units in the country. The effective doses per examination were collected during an auditing campaign.ResultsIn 2008 about 0.8 Million CT procedures (~ 100 CT examinations / 1000 population) were performed in the country, leading to a collective effective dose of more than 6000 man.Sv (0.8 mSv/caput). In a decade the frequency of CT examinations averaged over the population and the associated average effective dose per caput increased by a factor of 2.2 and 2.9 respectively.ConclusionsAlthough the contribution of CT to the total medical X-rays is 6% in terms of the frequency, it represents 68% in terms of the collective effective dose. These results are comparable to those reported in a number of countries in Europe and America with similar health level.
Highlights
The frequency of computed tomography (CT) procedures has registered a significant increase over the last decade, which led at the international level to an increasing concern on the radiological risk associated with the use of CT especially in paediatrics
In its 2010 Report, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) indicated that diagnostic radiology represents at the global level only 20% of the total annual per caput effective dose, it accounts for more than 94% of the man-made component [1]
Materials and methods All healthcare providers running an X-ray unit in Switzerland were addressed. This corresponds to 8,247 practices, radiology institutes and hospital departments, and 17,391 X-ray units authorized by the Regulatory Authority (FOPH)
Summary
The frequency of CT procedures has registered a significant increase over the last decade, which led at the international level to an increasing concern on the radiological risk associated with the use of CT especially in paediatrics. In Switzerland diagnostic radiology was responsible in 2009 for 30% of the dose received by the population, but more that 92% of man-made irradiation [2] This is why the exposure of the population by radiodiagnostics is periodically monitored (each 5–10 years) both at global and national level by UNSCEAR and national radiation protection authorities respectively. The frequency of computed tomography (CT) procedures has registered a significant increase over the last decade This is due to evolution of the demographics and the ageing of the population, but may be attributed to the technology advance in CT devices, the introduction of multi-slice CT, which opened a new field of vascular investigations and led to the change of medical practice by often replacing fluoroscopy guided procedures with CT scans and to the proliferation of CT units in emergency departments
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