[en] The aim of this study was to review recent literature in order to provide updated values of the typical effective doses associated with the top 20 imaging tests for adults and children and for the most widely used set of weights (ICRP60) as well as for the most recent one (ICRP103). We performed a systematic research on radiation dosimetry in radiology published from 2007 onwards through the Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library Plus databases. We also included studies backed by scientific or governmental organizations. Other variables included: year and type of study (survey or descriptive), country, method and sample used for the measurement. Mean effective dose, minimum, maximum and standard deviation were calculated. We compared our results with previous evidence and with data from DDM2. We included 27 articles and 5 web references in the study. A total of 378 values from the 20 procedures included were obtained, 280 (74%) using ICRP60 and 98 (26%) using ICRP103. Effective doses for CT procedures in children were very similar to those for adults, with the exception of CT Trunk, but fluoroscopy procedures had consistently lower dose. There were differences between the current data with either ICRP60 or ICRP103, and the previous published data. In conclusion, we provided the best available evidence from literature to evaluate the effective dose received by each patient for the most typical examinations. According to the recommendations from the Report 154 and from the European Council Directive, these results could also be useful to estimate the range of average exposures to the population. (paper)

[en] Consumption of foods containing radionuclides may contribute to radiation dose and poses higher cancer risk to human. Studies were conducted to determine concentration of radionuclides present in commercial potato crisps. Based on the consumption rate by Malaysian adults, annual effective dose value and the associated cancer risk were estimated. the activity concentration was found ranged in between 181 to 395 Bq/kg for the natural ⁴⁰K. Meanwhile for the other natural radionuclides of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra, ²³²Th, ²³⁸U, it was ranged between 1.01 – 6.72 Bq/kg, 0.92 – 4.90 Bq/kg, 0.69 – 3.46 Bq/kg and 1.81 –12.60 Bq/kg, respectively, whilst the artificial radionuclides were less than 1 Bq/kg. Calculated annual effective doses due to this intake of radionuclides by ingestion was estimated in between 28.7 – 88.9 μSv/y, with potential of cancer risk incurrence between 10 to 31 cases in every 100,000 people. (author)

[en] The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on dose area product (DAP), effective dose (E), dose to the organs and image quality (IQ) on 200 patients referred to pelvic radiography. Patients were classified into three groups according to BMI: normal (<24.99), overweight (25.0-29.99) and obese (>30). The results showed 52% and 135% higher DAP for overweight and obese patients compared to normal-weight patients (p < 0.001). A 46 and 123% rise of E for overweight and obese patients compared to normal-weight patients (p < 0.001) was discovered. Overweight patients received 37% higher dose and obese patients 107% higher dose to the organs compared to normal-weight patients. There were no statistically significant differences between IQ, except between normal weight and overweight patients. A strong correlation (r = 0.733) was found between BMI and DAP and between BMI and E (r = 0.776). (authors)

[en] In this work, the occupational dose of Radiation Workers (RW) in Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) Hospitals in State of Qatar for different departments such as Radiology, Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, Cath-Lab, and Urology and Operational titer are evaluated. Bimonthly dose measurements were regularly carried out for a period of 5 years (2009 to 2013). Out of a total of around 1000 medical radiation workers, 755 are selected for this study. The maximum annual effective dose for all monitored workers was 5.79 mSv per year. (author)

[en] The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of the posteroanterior (PA) patient position in lumbar spine imaging on effective dose and the absorbed organ dose. The study was performed on 100 patients that were referred to the lumbar spine radiography that were divided into two equal groups of 50. Body Mass Index, Dose AREA Product (DAP), exposure index (EXI), tube time-current (mAs), image field size and the source-patient distance were acquired for each patient. The entrance surface dose (ESD), the effective dose and the absorbed organ doses were calculated. There was no statistically significant difference in the BMI and EXI between the AP and PA projection. The results showed a significant reduction of ESD by 33% and the effective dose by 53% when the PA projection was used. Furthermore, there was a 64% average reduction of the absorbed organ doses to the selected organs. (authors)

[en] Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and presents everywhere on the Earth at varying concentration in workplaces and at homes. With Canadian labour statistics, time statistics and more than 7600 long-term radon measurements in workplaces, occupational radon exposure is evaluated for all 20 job categories based on North American Industry Classification System. Results are compared with residential radon exposure based on more than 22 000 long-term radon tests conducted in Canadian homes. The average annual effective dose due to radon exposure in workplaces is 0.21 mSv, which is lower than the average annual effective dose of 1.8 mSv from radon exposure at home by a factor of eight. Due to relatively higher radon concentration in residential homes and longer time spent indoors at home, exposure at home contributes to 90% of workers’ total radon exposure (on average 1692 h in workplaces and 5852 h at homes). The analysis presented here is based on province-wide average radon exposures in various indoor and outdoor environments. Since the risk of developing lung cancer increases proportionally with increasing radon exposure, this evaluation indicates that on average reduction of radon levels in homes is very important and an effective way to reduce radon-induced lung cancers in Canada. (paper)

[en] Single isocentre multiple targets (SIMT) SBRT revolutionizes treatment by delivering radiation to multiple tumour sites from a single isocentre. However, accurately measuring radiation dose is challenging due to target variability in position and the need for higher dose capture, resulting in a time-consuming process. Limited detector orientations further complicate capturing higher doses in multiple targets. This study investigates in-phantom rotation measurement with myQA SRS for verifying SIMT SBRT plans, aiming to develop an advanced approach for precise capture of higher doses in a single setup. In-phantom rotation with myQA SRS accurately captures higher doses in SIMT SBRT, eliminating the need for multiple measurements. This instills confidence in delivering high doses to multiple targets from a single isocentre. Combining high-resolution array dosimetry and rotational detectors offers an efficient patient-specific QA method for treatments with multiple targets

[en] Treatment delivery verification has always been a topic of interest in radiation therapy resulting in some commercial products which can be externally fitted to the conventional C-arm therapy machine and monitor the planned and exit fluence through gantry. Since Halcyon has ring gantry it demands a different approach. Halcyon is equipped with an in-built EPID system which is in line with the beam and continuously acquires exit fluence with full field coverage during patient treatment without user interaction. These images can be retrieved and analyzed to monitor the delivery of planned treatment throughout and can be used as a decision making criteria for adaptive planning or rescan and replan as per the department protocol for the changed anatomy

[en] In this study, radon (Rn) measurements were evaluated for the first time in the underground metro and Marmaray stations in Istanbul and the annual effective dose values were calculated to the employees and for passengers. Radon concentrations ranged from 39.47 to 382.02 Bq m⁻³ for the railway platforms. The average radon value for all station platforms found to be 114.60 Bq m⁻³. The annual effective dose values for the employees working at the platforms varied from 0.12 and 2.75 mSv y⁻¹, while the data for the passengers were varied from 0.035 and 0.34 mSv y⁻¹.

[en] We examined how radiation dose per fraction (DPF) and total dose, as represented by biological effective dose (BED), can independently and differentially affect the immunomodulatory capacity of radiation therapy (RT).