Reference level for patient dose in dental skull lateral teleradiography.

The present work describes an experiment to obtain a local reference dose value in lateral skull teleradiography for dental applications. The reference value was based on patient measurements in seven dental X-ray units, using thermoluminescent chips, and measurements on a rubber globe filled with water at another 78 installations. Dosemeters were located initially in the head and neck of a human phantom to select the most suitable locations, and on the cephalostat of the X-ray unit at two appropriate locations, which did not interfere with the patient or with the usual imaging routine. The skin projection of the Porion point was considered the best position. 523 patients were monitored in the seven units; then patient doses and dose values from measurements on rubber balloons were compared to normalize and combine the data. The provisional reference value proposed is 400 microGy.