Dear Digital X-Ray Insider,
One of the more vexing issues faced by facilities transitioning to digital x-ray is "dose creep" -- when the average radiation dose delivered to patients begins climbing following the implementation of digital technologies. Researchers attribute the phenomenon to a number of factors, the most likely of which is the desire of technologists to reduce noise in images taken without optimal imaging parameters.
While dose creep is worrisome, it can be corrected through proper education and training of technologists, and follow-up audits to ensure that radiation dose remains under control. That's the message from a story by staff writer Wayne Forrest that we're featuring as this week's Insider Exclusive.
The story covers research conducted by a pair of Spanish hospitals that implemented computed radiography (CR) in 1999. They measured median entrance dose values for four of the most common x-ray examinations, and tracked changes over time as they conducted various RT training and audit programs.
The group found that overall radiation dose for the four examinations grew in the three months immediately following CR implementation, especially for pelvic exams. But dose began dropping as the hospitals implemented dose-reduction training efforts. Ultimately, they were able to bring dose down to a fraction of what it had been at the beginning of CR implementation. See the impact of their efforts by clicking here.
Dose and optimal imaging parameters are also the subject of a pair of articles that have recently been published in the community. In one story, representatives from a major CR vendor offer strategies for reducing dose creep, in an article that's available by clicking here.
In another article, digital imaging consultant Herman Oosterwijk of OTech of Aubrey, TX, offers tips for maintaining image quality in both digital radiography (DR) and CR. Get that story by clicking here.
For the rest of the news in the world of digital x-ray, visit the Digital X-Ray Community at xray.auntminnie.com, and feel free to send any ideas, comments, and suggestions for future articles on digital x-ray to me at [email protected].
