Measurement of radiation dose level in patients undergoing brain CT examinations

Abstract

The recent increase in the applications of Computed Tomography (CT) for routine organ imaging has potential health implications of exposure to ionizing radiation. The present work assessed the dose patients were exposed during brain CT examinations using the direct method. Thermo-luminescent dosimeter (TLD) based chips were employed at the front and back of the patient's heads under examination. Twenty-four (24) patients drawn from both genders and all ages, ranging from 1 year to 70 years, participated in the brain computed tomography examinations. The background radiation was considered during the computation of the effective dose. The highest effective dose value was 0.22mSv while the minimum value was 0.01mSv. The mean effective dose (HETLD) was calculated as 0.1mSv. The study found that the radiation doses to the brain in this hospital and for the analyzed data are minimum relative to other studies in the literature and within the limit of no concern (absorb dose of 0.5Gy) set by the International Commission for Radiation Protection (ICRP). Periodic measurements are however necessary for ensuring optimal use of radiation on patients.