Evaluation of Pediatric Chest Image Quality in Omdurman Pediatric Emergency Hospital in X-ray department

Abstract

The study is conducted at Omdurman Pediatrics Emergency Hospital, in the period from September 2009 to March 2010, for a number of 380 patients –chest x-ray was done to them in the x-ray department. Patients' ages were ranged between 1 day to 16 years, 55% of them were between 6 months to 5 years and 45% were less than 6 months and above 5 years up to 16 years. Exposure factors (Kvp, mAs) were constant for every certain age group without consideration of weight. 98.5% of the images were good in position where 1.5% was bad. Images processing was good for 97.7% of the images and bad for 2.6% of them. From the processed images: 80.77% of them over expose and/ or over developer and the remains 19.23% were under expose and/ or under developer. The averages of the questionnaires results: 84% of the images were good and 16% of them were bad. The bad images were 68% were dark, 63% were blurring, 16% were technical faults, 5% were soft and 5% were artifact. 87% of the images were diagnosable and 13% not acceptable. Additional views were needed for 63.5% of the patients and not needed for 36.5%. 84% of the questionnaires members said that radiologist was necessary and 16% agree that radiologist was not important. Good technique as well as trained radiologist was necessary in Omdurman Pediatrics X-ray department to obtain diagnosable chest x-ray