Radiogenic risk assessment for abdominal vascular computed tomography angiography

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) has become a prominent source of medical exposures, conduct requiring measures that mitigate radio carcinogenic risk and deterministic tissue reaction effects. The objective of present study, conducted in Sudan, has been to evaluate patient radiogenic risk during vascular CT procedures. Study was made of 485 patients, the cohort comprising 218 males (45%) and 267 females (55%) of mean age ± 1 s.d. of 48.2 ± 17 years (ranging from 18.0 to 93.0 years). The investigation involved nine radiology departments, covering three different CT modalities (16, 64 and 128 slice). Patient organ and effective doses were estimated using established computer software (specifically, CT-Expo, ImPACT and that of the NRPB). The range of patient dose in terms of dose length product (DLP) (mGy.cm) and volume CT dose index (CTDIvol (mGy) were 3.2–28.51 mGy and 257.0–9263.5, respectively. The mean and range of effective dose were 25.5 ± 18 mSv and 4.0–138.9 mSv respectively. The wide range of doses indicates the likelihood that patients have been receiving avoidable radiation exposure, their being potential for mitigation of cancer incidence risk through further optimisation of procedures. On the basis of present study of vascular CT procedure doses, the mean risk of carcinogenesis has been estimated to be 1 in 1000 procedures.