Abstract / Summary
Background: It is well established that diagnostic X-ray practices must be optimized to keep patient radiation dose as low as possible with providing the diagnostic information required. The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends diagnostic reference levels as a practical means to optimize radiation doses in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine. The aim of this study was to propose national diagnostic reference levels for routine pediatric chest X-ray examinations in Ethiopia.
Methods: Anthropometric and radiographic parametric data were collected from 975 patients. A standard patient was defined based on the mean values of weight, height, and BMI for the age groups of 5 to 10 and 10 to 15 years old. The exposure parameter, entrance surface air kerma, was calculated. NDRLs for entrance surface air kerma were defined as the 75th percentile of dose values.
Results: The suggested national diagnostic reference levels of chest X-ray examinations were 0.07 mGy and 0.53 mGy for age groups 5-< 10 and 10-< 15, respectively.
Conclusion: The 75th percentile of dose values determined in this study was higher than those published in the literature. The findings reveal significant variability in ESD across hospitals, primarily due to the use of inappropriate radiological parameters. A notable inconsistency in the selection of kV and mAs parameters was also observed, underscoring the need for standardized radiological protocols.