A survey of patient doses from selected fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures at Pietersburg Provincial Hospital
Keywords:
Dose area product, dose reference level, fluoroscopyAbstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse DAP records of some fluoroscopically guided procedures performed at Pietersburg Provincial Hospital to determine the average DAP per examination, as well as to deduce inter-operator variabilities, and to compare DAP values with reference values from literature.
Method: DAP records captured over the period May 2014 to March 2015 were retrieved and analysed. The average DAP and screening time per examination was determined. For barium swallow and voiding cystourethrogram examinations the mean DAP values and screening times per lead operator were determined and variation in these values was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation of mean DAPs and screening times.
Results: Average DAPs and screening times were 30.2Gy·cm2, 40s for HSG; 48.7Gy·cm2, 54s for cystogram; 28.8Gy·cm2, 23s for IVP; 8.3Gy·cm2, 130s for loopogram; 17.7Gy·cm2, 53s for fistulogram; 50.6Gy·cm2, 67s for VCU, 19.5Gy·cm2, 67s for barium swallow; 35.1Gy·cm2, 121s for barium meal; 44.4Gy·cm2, 124s for barium enema. The coefficients of variation for voiding cystourethrogram (VCU) were 59% DAP, 64% screening time and 16% DAP, 49% screening time for barium swallow.
Conclusion: DAP values for five examinations were comparable to reference values obtained from a similar study conducted at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, South Africa. DAP values for the remaining studies were higher than reference values. This, together with a high coefficient of variation for VCU, demonstrated that an opportunity existed for further dose optimisation.
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