Estimation of effective dose and radiation risk in pediatric barium studies procedures

Sulieman A 1 , Elhag B 2 , Alkhorayef M 3 , Babikir E 4 , Theodorou K 5 , Kappas C 5 Show all authors , Bradley D 6

Affiliations 

  • 1 Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Radiology and Medical Imaging Department, P.O.Box 422, 11942, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: abdelmoneim_a@yahoo.com
  • 2 Alghad International Colleges for Applied Medical Sciences, Radiology and Medical Imaging Department, Almadinah Almunawra, Saudi Arabia
  • 3 King Saud University, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Radiological Sciences Department, P.O.Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia; Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
  • 4 King Saud University, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Radiological Sciences Department, P.O.Box 10219, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia
  • 5 Medical Physics Department, University Hospital of Larissa, PO Box 1425, Larissa 41110, Greece
  • 6 Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, United Kingdom; Sunway University, Institute for Health Care Development, Jalan Universiti, 46150 PJ, Malaysia
Appl Radiat Isot, 2018 Aug;138:40-44.
PMID: 28757351 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2017.07.013

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to assess pediatric radiation exposure in certain barium studies and to quantify the organ and effective doses and radiation risk resultant from patients' irradiation. A total of 69 pediatric barium studies for upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Patients' radiation dose was quantified in terms of Entrance surface air kerma (ESAKs) using exposure parameters and DosCal software. Organ and effective doses (E) were extrapolated using national Radiological Protection Board software (NRPB-R279). The mean ± (SD) and the range of patient doses per procedure were 3.7 ± 0.4 (1.0-13.0)mGy, 7.4 ± 1.7(5.5-8.0)mGy and 1.4 ± 0.9 (0.5-3.6)mGy for barium meal, swallow and enema, respectively. The mean effective doses were 0.3 ± 0.03 (0.08-1.1)mSv, 0.2 ± 1.6 (0.44-0.7)mSv and 0.3 ± 0.9 (0.1-0.8)mSv at the same order. The radiation dose were higher compared to previous studies. Therefore, pediatrics are exposed to avoidable radiation exposure. Certain optimization measures are recommended along with establishing national diagnostic reference level (DRL) to reduce the radiation risk.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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