Patient dose and associated risk due to radiological investigation of the internal auditory meatus.

The radiation doses and associated somatic risks due to four radiological examinations for acoustic neuromata (AN) have been investigated. These examinations were (1) plain film radiography of the internal auditory meatus (IAM), (2) computed tomography (CT) of the IAM, (3) CT of the posterior fossa and (4) CT of the IAM with air contrast. Organ dose measurements were performed using lithium fluoride thermoluminescent dosemeters loaded in a patient equivalent phantom. Dose equivalents to various organs are presented, together with the effective dose equivalent and collective effective dose equivalent for each examination. Hypothetical fatal somatic risks for each examination studied here have been estimated from the effective dose equivalents. The estimated number of hypothetical fatal cancers induced by radiological examinations for AN is between approximately 110 and 820 times lower than the number of detected AN, depending on the method of assessing the radiation dose to the remainder organs. It is concluded that in this particular study the radiological examinations are of net benefit to this group of patients.