Room: AAPM ePoster Library
Purpose: aim of the study was to define clinical DRLs for CT and Interventional Radiology (IR) procedures in Qatar
Methods: study was conducted in Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the main provider of secondary/tertiary healthcare in Qatar. HMC manages 13 hospitals, the National Ambulance
Service and home/residential care services. The CIs (10 CT and 3 IR) were chosen based on exam frequency. These ranged from CT evaluation in stroke, pre-evaluation in transcatheter aortic valve implantation to abdominal-pelvic CT for liver/abdominal metastases in colorectal cancer, IR for brain embolization and treatment of aneurysms. HMC has a dose monitoring system (Radiation Dose Monitor (RDM) Software, PACS Health, LLC) which facilitated collection of patient clinical/technical data. CT Effective dose (E) values were calculated by the RDM software. Methodology to develop DRLs followed international recommendations. Quantities for DRL determination were a) CT: Dose Length Product (DLP) and E, b) IR: Kerma-Area Product (KAP), Fluoroscopy time in min (T), number of images (F)
Results: sample included 1108 patients undertaking CT for 10 CIs and 3 neurological IR procedures. CT median values for DLP and E ranged from 181 Gy.cm (diffuse infiltrative lung disease) to 4175 Gy.cm (stroke) and 3.6 to 38.6 mSv, respectively. IR DRL median values range; KAP: 67-188 Gy.cm2, T: 12.4-33.7 min and F: 439-1298 images. The max/min dose ratio was 23 for CT and 2.8 for IR procedures.
Conclusion: clinical DRLs were established for 10 CT and 3 IR CIs in Qatar. The large differences in radiation dose, especially for CT, justify use of CI in DRL determination and points to immediate actions for dose optimization.