Evaluation of Repeat Analysis and Dose Burdens of Patients Examined in the Radiology Department of a Medical University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria

Abstract

The objectives of this study was to examine the repeated examinations carried out and dose burdens of patients examined in the radiology department of a tertiary institution teaching hospital in Nigeria. A standard daily record keeping method (accepted and rejected films compiled by Radiographers) was used to collect data after viewing by a Radiologist. Raw data collected were sorted with the aid of Tally Chart. Descriptive statistics was employed to analyze the data collected with the help of Excel software. The specific repeat rates (SRRs) for different examinations are as follows: chest PA (CXR-6.68 %); lumbosacral (LS-10.90%); skull/head (S/H-15.08 %); abdomen (ABD-12.97 %); pelvis/hip (PE/H-7.77 %); cervical spine/neck (SP/NK-5.56 %); thoracic spine (TS-7.14 %); extremities (EXT-1.64 %); shoulder joint (SHJ-2.22 %); knee joint (KNJ-2.99 %); elbow joint (ELB-2.53 %); ankle joint (ANK-2.77 %); and  hysterosalpingography (HSG-7.35 %). The highest causal reject rates (CRRs) was found to be as a result of under-penetration (34.3%) in this study. This is followed in succession by over-collimation (22.90 %) and processing artifact (20.50 %).   The excessive population doses of the exposed patients resulting from repeats for some examinations are: chest PA (CXR-103.60 mGy); lumbosacral AP (LS-23.00 mGy); skull/head PA (S/H-71.10 mGy); abdomen AP (ABD-33.48 mGy); thoracic spine AP (TS-2.52 mGy);  shoulder joint AP (SHJ-1.89 mGy); knee joint AP (KNJ-2.00 mGy); ankle joint AP (ANK-0.76 mGy);  hysterosalpingography (HSG-1.95 mGy). The selected exposure parameters could also be examined and adjusted to prevent under-penetration.