survey of routine brain ct protocols in khartoum state

Abstract

This survey study is performed to determine the variations in routine brain CT protocols in all centers in Sudan, because the choice of scanning protocol in CT will affect the dose delivered to the patients and quality of the image. The types and characteristics of CT scanners have major role in type of protocol and will influence radiation dose to the patients. This research follows both descriptive and analytical methods. Special questionnaire for the technologists was designed to collect information about protocols of brain CT. This questionnaire contains the following technical issues: - radiographic baseline, slice thickness / slice spaces, exposure factors and doses of contrast media used in each department. Data was collected from patients referred to the CT scan departments in duration of two weeks (from Saturday 16/4 to VI Saturday 30/4/2005). They were (800) patients from different states, ages, male and female having different pathologies. (560) patients were undergoing brain CT scans with 70 % from the total number. The researcher found that:- 1- The protocols of brain CT scan shows wide variations in many technical aspects. For example:- radiographic baseline, slice thickness / slice spaces, exposure factors used by the operators and different doses of contrast media used in the departments. 2- 22 % of the departments under study used for adults, S.O.M. baseline and thus avoided scanning the lenses of eyes, and for children, only 33 % of the departments using this baseline. 3- In all centers under study, the routine protocols do not include scans after injection of contrast media, unless there is an indication. 4- In using slice thickness / slice spaces for example, using of 10/10 mm slice thickness / slice spaces for adults was 22 % from the departments and 45 % for the children using this slice thickness / slice spaces. 5- All centers using low doses of contrast media which will affect the degree of lesion enhancement, may lead to mis-diagnosis