Recent advancements and perspectives on entrance skin dose and cancer risk for patients undergoing diagnostic x-ray examination

Abstract

Advancements in technology and medicine have increased radiation use, with radiology examinations being the primary man-made source of radiation exposure for the general public. Over 90% of the ionizing radiation exposure today comes from man-made sources. However, because ionizing radiation is linked to a cancer risk, its use in medical imaging for diagnosis should adhere to safety regulations and be optimized. This study aims at providing recent advancements and perspectives on entrance skin dose and cancer risk. Many studies have been published around the world on how to tackle the dangers behind the ionizing radiation that is exposed to patients. The Recent advancements and perspectives on entrance skin dose and cancer risk undergoing diagnostic x-ray examination were discussed in detail, including how the dose was reduced for patients and even the best method to adopt, as well as the concept of absorbed dose in the human body from exposure to radiation, particularly in the context of diagnostic X-ray examinations. It emphasizes the importance of measuring the energy deposited per unit mass, expressed in joules per kilogram (Jkg^-1) or in the unit gray (Gy). The review also touches on equivalent dose, which takes into account the type and energy of the radiation, and effective dose, which is designed for radiogenic risk assessment. The study reviewed various methods for calculating entrance skin dose (ESD) in X-ray examinations, including both direct and indirect methods, and presents results from different research studies that have used these methods to measure ESD in patients undergoing diagnostic X-ray examinations. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the importance of monitoring and optimizing radiation doses in medical imaging to ensure patient safety.