Radiation dose assessment to patients undergoing radiological X-ray procedures of upper extremity

Abstract

All exposures to diagnostic X-rays need to be justified and optimized in terms of benefit and risk; one of the basic requirements for such requirement is the patient dose assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the radiation doses to patient during upper extremities examinations. The research was conducted in two public hospitals of Kebbi State with a total of 150 adult patients. Entrance skin dose estimation was conducted on normal X-ray examinations. ESD was estimated by using mathematical model which are the common indirect method. The results of ESD were used to estimate proposed diagnostic reference levels. In this work, the X-ray radiation exposure parameters were recorded for forearm, upper arms and hands X-ray procedures of one hundred and fifty (150) male and female patients underwent X-ray examination in SMH and FMC. The recorded parameters for X-rays examinations were converted to entrance surface dose (ESD) through mathematical approach. It can be concluded that radiation dose and radiation dose level estimation is essential to prevent health risks of X-ray exposures during the radiological procedures.