Abstract
Objective: The aim of our work is to study radiological practices in C?te d’Ivoire regarding the examination of the frontal chest in order to optimize the dose received by patients. Materials and Methods: The work was carried out in 11 of the most frequented radiology centers and involved 330 patients. The equipment used in addition to those that can be found in an X-ray room is the DAP-meter. Using the DAP-meter, we measured the Dose in the air (Dair) then we calculated the Entrance Surface Dose (De). Results: We have by the statistical method of the 75th percentile determined the Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL): 0.28 ± 0.03 mGy and by the arithmetic average, the average of the entrance surface dose (Dem): 0.23 ± 0.03 mGy. Since the DRL is lower than the Dem, the dose is said to be optimized. However by comparing the DRL of our work to the DRL values obtained in other countries, we can say that efforts can be made to further protect patients from unnecessary doses. This involves increasing the voltage, decreasing the load, increasing the detector focal point distance, and increasing additional filtration.
Highlights
Human exposure to ionizing radiation comes from man-made sources, ranging from facilities producing nuclear energy, to medical uses of radiation [1]
We have by the statistical method of the 75th percentile determined the Diagnostic Reference Level (DRL): 0.28 ± 0.03 mGy and by the arithmetic average, the average of the entrance surface dose (Dem): 0.23 ± 0.03 mGy
The DAP-meter gives us the measurement of Dose in the air (Dair) we calculate the dose at the entrance of the patient (De) by the following formula: De = Dair * BSF
Summary
Human exposure to ionizing radiation comes from man-made sources, ranging from facilities producing nuclear energy, to medical uses of radiation [1]. As beneficial as it is, conventional radiology like all medical uses of ionizing radiation, carries risks due to their potentially deleterious biological effects on health. Studies have shown that people of the same build undergoing the same examination often in the same radiology room receive different doses [3]. This anomaly leads the International Commission of Radiation Protection ( ICRP) to sound the alarm bells by introducing the concept of DRL at the beginning of the 1990 [4] and by recommending in 1996 its implementation in the member states [5], to reinforce the principle of optimization of doses received by patients during radiology examinations [6]. In Côte d’Ivoire, similar work was carried out by Monnehan et al [7] in two towns in the South and by Issa Konaté et al [8] in the West of the country on a small sample
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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.
