Determinations of organ doses and effective dose equivalents from computed tomographic examination.

The organ or tissue doses were determined with a phantom measurement for 12 types of CT scanners widely used in Japan. Two types of thermoluminescent dosimeters were used for the dose determinations in a Rando woman phantom. The effective dose equivalents recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection were calculated using the measured organ or tissue doses. It was found that the CT scanners currently available give quite different organ or tissue doses. When selecting the optimum technical factors for scanning, therefore, it is important to take into consideration the balance of the image quality and the radiation exposure to patients.