Establishment of local diagnostic reference levels in paediatric screen-film radiography at a children's hospital.

To assess the frequency of examination, image quality (IQ) and establishment of local diagnostic reference levels (LDRLs) in paediatric radiographic examinations. The X-ray device performance, film reject rate and IQ grading were assessed at Radiology Department of a referral and teaching children's hospital in Kenya. A questionnaire method was developed and used in recording the exposure factors used to indirectly calculate patient doses. The study established the first age- and technique-specific diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for paediatric patients with respect to grid and non-grid radiographic techniques. The mean doses in most grid examinations exceeded the available international DRLs. The non-grid radiography imaging technique provided better IQ and an optimal patient dose. In this study, the preliminary age-specific paediatric DRLs, based on the mean values of the dose distribution, have been suggested for the type of examination considered. They form the preliminary LDRLs, which are lower than the few available international DRLs.