The UK national patient dose database: now and in the future.

Abstract

After the publication of a National Protocol for Patient Dose Measurements in Diagnostic Radiology [1] in 1992, NRPB established a National Patient Dose Database (NPDD) to collate measurements of radiation doses to patients from routine X-ray examinations in hospitals throughout the UK. The purpose of the NPDD was to monitor trends in patient doses and to update and extend the national reference doses recommended in the National Protocol. More recently it has provided essential data for an estimate of the UK population dose from medical X-ray examinations [2], and for establishing diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) as required by British legislation [3]. A first review of data collected up to the end of 1995 was published in 1996 as an NRPB report [4]. A second review covering the subsequent 5-year period from January 1996 to December 2000 was published in 2002 [5]. This article summarizes the findings of the second review, and provides guidance on the information needed for subsequent reviews.