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Establishment of Computed Tomography Diagnostic Reference Levels on Paediatric Patients in Uganda |
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PP: 189-192 |
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doi:10.18576/jrna/060301
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Author(s) |
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G. Ayugi,
B. Oruru,
F. Kiragga,
H. Kisembo,
H. Kyagulanyi,
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Abstract |
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| Paediatric dosimetry in radiation protection when compared with adults is based on radiation sensitivity of
children to radiation. Children are known to be at a higher risk of developing radiation-induced cancer. The aim of this
study was to determine the radiation doses to paediatric patients during computed tomography procedures (CT) so that a
diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) could be proposed. DRLs are useful in high dose examinations such as CT to achieve
collective dose reduction. Information about patients, protocol and CT system for 684 patients were recorded during 2019
and 2020 from five CT scanners. The dose was determined in four age groups: 0-1 year, 1-5 years, 5-10 years, and 10-15
years for the head, chest and abdomen protocols. The 75th percentile of CTDIvol and DLP were considered as DRLs and
compared with IAEC and Japan DRLs. CT dosimetry software Impact CT patient dosimetry calculator, version 1.0.4 with
National Radiation Protection Board SR250 data set, was used to validate and compare scanner generated dose values.
DRLs are proposed using CTDIvol (mGy) and DLP (mGy cm). The mean DRL of 43.6 and 922 for the head, 3.0 and 258
for the Chest and 3.1 and 292.5 for the abdomen were established during the study. There was high deviation in head CT
doses compared to the reported DRLs in IAEC and Japan. The established DRLs for head were higher than those available
in other countries. This study showed the need for harmonization of radiation dose optimization of this protocol. |
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