ORGAN VOLUME AND EFFECTIVE DOSE ASSESSMENT IN AP CHEST X-RAY EXAMINATION

Authors: Maan S. Al-Arif & Abdulrazak Abdulsalam Mohammed

ABSTRACT

The present work aims to describe a new method for calculating the effective dose to the heart, lungs, breasts, and thyroid for patients undergoing AP chest–ray examination. This model of calculation takes into account variation of dose due to depth, relative risk factor (organ sensitivity to radiation), and % organ volume exposed in the irradiation. The entrance skin dose is 0.212 mGy which is in good agreement with previously recorded values. The effective dose for the heart is 0.0008 mSv, 0.0125 mSv for lungs, 0.0019 mSv for breast, and 0.00004 mSv for thyroid. Lungs appear to be subjected to more organ and effective dose than other organs. This is attributed to the greater % volume exposed to radiation. The % organ volume becomes a good indicator for the organ radiation risk since smooth straight-line relationships were recorded. The calculated effective dose is in agreement with Monte Carlo method 2025 in case of Lungs and Breast. For Thyroid Monte Carlo method is over estimating the present value. Similar calculations can be applied for other x-ray examinations.

Keywords: Skin dose, Organ dose, effective dose, x-ray exposure.

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