The Effect of Rare Earth Screen on Dose Reduction for Conventional Imaging Procedures

Abstract

By introduction of rare earth film-screen combinations of speed class 400 instead of classical film-screen combinations of speed class 200, dose reduction has already been possible. By this study the extent of dose reduction without loss of clinical information in conventional imaging procedures for patients undergoing simple radiographic examinations (chest, lumbar spine and pelvis series) was to be examined by comparing conventional film-screen to rare earth film-screen. The entrance surface dose (ESD) for conventional film-screen combination of speed class 200 was compared with that of rare earth film-screen combination of speed class 400. Upon the adoption of rare earth screen of speed class 400, a dose reduction of 33% for chest, 17% for lumbar spine and 28% for pelvis examinations was achieved. A change of the film-screen system to faster systems such as rare earth, consistent with the imaging requirements of the examination is recommended in our diagnostic departments.