OBJECTIVES: To establish an education and training programme for the reduction of CT radiation doses and to assess this programme's efficacy. METHODS: Ten radiological institutes were counselled. The optimisation programme included a small group workshop and a lecture on radiation dose reduction strategies. The radiation dose used for five CT protocols (paranasal sinuses, brain, chest, pulmonary angiography and abdomen) was assessed using the dose-length product (DLP) before and after the optimisation programme. The mean DLP values were compared with national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs). RESULTS: The average reduction of the DLP after optimisation was 37% for the sinuses (180 vs. 113 mGycm, P < 0.001), 9% for the brain (982 vs. 896 mGycm, P < 0.05), 24% for the chest (425 vs. 322 mGycm, P < 0.05) and 42% for the pulmonary arteries (352 vs. 203 mGycm, P < 0.001). No significant change in DLP was found for abdominal CT. The post-optimisation DLP values of the sinuses, brain, chest, pulmonary arteries and abdomen were 68%, 10%, 20%, 55% and 15% below the DRL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The education and training programme for radiological institutes is effective in achieving a substantial reduction in CT radiation dose.
OBJECTIVES: To establish an education and training programme for the reduction of CT radiation doses and to assess this programme's efficacy. METHODS: Ten radiological institutes were counselled. The optimisation programme included a small group workshop and a lecture on radiation dose reduction strategies. The radiation dose used for five CT protocols (paranasal sinuses, brain, chest, pulmonary angiography and abdomen) was assessed using the dose-length product (DLP) before and after the optimisation programme. The mean DLP values were compared with national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs). RESULTS: The average reduction of the DLP after optimisation was 37% for the sinuses (180 vs. 113 mGycm, P < 0.001), 9% for the brain (982 vs. 896 mGycm, P < 0.05), 24% for the chest (425 vs. 322 mGycm, P < 0.05) and 42% for the pulmonary arteries (352 vs. 203 mGycm, P < 0.001). No significant change in DLP was found for abdominal CT. The post-optimisation DLP values of the sinuses, brain, chest, pulmonary arteries and abdomen were 68%, 10%, 20%, 55% and 15% below the DRL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The education and training programme for radiological institutes is effective in achieving a substantial reduction in CT radiation dose.
Authors: Hedvig Hricak; David J Brenner; S James Adelstein; Donald P Frush; Eric J Hall; Roger W Howell; Cynthia H McCollough; Fred A Mettler; Mark S Pearce; Orhan H Suleiman; James H Thrall; Louis K Wagner Journal: Radiology Date: 2010-12-16 Impact factor: 11.105
Authors: Mannudeep K Kalra; Michael M Maher; Thomas L Toth; Bernhard Schmidt; Bryan L Westerman; Hugh T Morgan; Sanjay Saini Journal: Radiology Date: 2004-10-21 Impact factor: 11.105
Authors: Sebastian T Schindera; Patricia Graca; Michael A Patak; Susanne Abderhalden; Gabriel von Allmen; Peter Vock; Zsolt Szucs-Farkas Journal: Invest Radiol Date: 2009-10 Impact factor: 6.016
Authors: Daniela Muenzel; Thomas Koehler; Kevin Brown; Stanislav Zabić; Alexander A Fingerle; Simone Waldt; Edgar Bendik; Tina Zahel; Armin Schneider; Martin Dobritz; Ernst J Rummeny; Peter B Noël Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-09-23 Impact factor: 3.240