Radiation dose reduction -- particularly in CT -- is currently a very topical issue, and radiation dose auditing is a key component of this goal, according to lead author Dr. Kevin Murphy from the University of Cork.
The institution has deployed the DoseWatch Web-based radiation dose tracking software package (GE Healthcare) to assess CT radiation dose and compare it to published diagnostic reference levels. In addition, the group sought to determine why individual patients received aberrantly high radiation doses, Murphy said.
The researchers found that radiation dose tracking software provides for quick and convenient CT radiation dose analysis. However, it does require automated DICOM recording of CT radiation dose from the scanner, as well as accurate patient protocol registration by the technologist or radiographer, Murphy noted.
They also found that "aberrantly high doses were associated with technologist/radiographer inexperience, out-of-hours scan acquisition, and, as one would expect, multiphase studies," Murphy told AuntMinnie.com
For all the details, take in this Wednesday morning presentation by presenter and co-author Dr. Maria Twomey.
