Assessment of Radiation Dose for Patients Undergoing Brain and Abdomen Computed Tomography

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging technique which produces a digital topographic image from diagnostic x-ray. It always considered a “high dose” technique, there is growing realization that image quality in CT often exceeds the level needed for confident diagnosis and that patient doses are higher than necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of radiation dose received by the patients during brain and abdomen CT examination. In this study, a total of 128 adult patients undergoing brain and the abdominal CT scanning exams were evaluatedusing CT Dose index and dose length product (DLP) The result of this study revealed that the mean effective dose for abdomen in hospital (1) and hospital (2) was(64.31 ± 29.8)mSv and (71.61 ± 0.97) mSvrespectively. The mean effective dose for brain in hospital (1) and hospital (2) was (2.96 ± 0.97)mSv, (3.11±0.51)mSv respectively. These values were found to be at standard dose reference level. Unjustified screening the Abdomen and head should thus be banished. Such policy is unacceptable in young patients who are at a low risk of having an incidental associated disease. Similarity, repeated acquisition should not be performed in circumstances where they do not specifically yield additional information.