Biomaterial Database

Neonatal chest and abdominal radiation dosimetry: a comparison of two radiographic techniques. 2001

N F Jones, and T W Palarm, and I S Negus

Directorate of Clinical Imaging, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (Treliske), Truro, Cornwall TR1 3LJ, UK.

Radiographs of the chest and the abdomen are the most commonly requested diagnostic X-ray examinations undertaken in neonatal intensive care units. Frequently, for a single child, both radiographs are requested simultaneously. These images can be obtained either as two separate exposures (one of the chest and one of the abdomen), or as a single exposure to include both anatomical regions on one film. This study compared the effective dose imparted as a result of each technique. A neonatal anthropomorphic phantom was designed and constructed, and each radiographic technique was simulated. Entrance surface dose (ESD) and dose-area product (DAP) were measured and estimates of effective dose were made from the DAP values. The mean effective dose for the separate exposure technique was estimated to be 37.3 microSv compared with 35.5 microSv for the combined exposure technique. However, observed variations in field size gave rise to uncertainties in DAP and thus the effective doses estimated from it. Hence, no significant difference in effective dose was observed between the radiographic techniques. The observed coefficient of variation in field size (16% for a 2.5 kg neonate) demonstrates that good standards of radiographic practice are more important than choice of technique.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007232	Infant, Newborn, Diseases	Diseases of newborn infants present at birth (congenital) or developing within the first month of birth. It does not include hereditary diseases not manifesting at birth or within the first 30 days of life nor does it include inborn errors of metabolism. Both HEREDITARY DISEASES and METABOLISM, INBORN ERRORS are available as general concepts.	Neonatal Diseases,Disease, Neonatal,Diseases, Neonatal,Neonatal Disease
D007363	Intensive Care Units, Neonatal	Hospital units providing continuing surveillance and care to acutely ill newborn infants.	Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,Neonatal Intensive Care Units,Newborn Intensive Care Unit,Newborn Intensive Care Units,ICU, Neonatal,Neonatal ICU,Newborn ICU,Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU),ICU, Newborn,ICUs, Neonatal,ICUs, Newborn,Neonatal ICUs,Newborn ICUs
D011829	Radiation Dosage	The amount of radiation energy that is deposited in a unit mass of material, such as tissues of plants or animal. In RADIOTHERAPY, radiation dosage is expressed in gray units (Gy). In RADIOLOGIC HEALTH, the dosage is expressed by the product of absorbed dose (Gy) and quality factor (a function of linear energy transfer), and is called radiation dose equivalent in sievert units (Sv).	Sievert Units,Dosage, Radiation,Gray Units,Gy Radiation,Sv Radiation Dose Equivalent,Dosages, Radiation,Radiation Dosages,Units, Gray,Units, Sievert
D011860	Radiography, Abdominal	Radiographic visualization of the body between the thorax and the pelvis, i.e., within the peritoneal cavity.	Abdominal Radiography,Abdominal Radiographies,Radiographies, Abdominal
D004867	Equipment Design	Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware.	Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013902	Radiography, Thoracic	X-ray visualization of the chest and organs of the thoracic cavity. It is not restricted to visualization of the lungs.	Thoracic Radiography,Radiographies, Thoracic,Thoracic Radiographies
D019047	Phantoms, Imaging	Devices or objects in various imaging techniques used to visualize or enhance visualization by simulating conditions encountered in the procedure. Phantoms are used very often in procedures employing or measuring x-irradiation or radioactive material to evaluate performance. Phantoms often have properties similar to human tissue. Water demonstrates absorbing properties similar to normal tissue, hence water-filled phantoms are used to map radiation levels. Phantoms are used also as teaching aids to simulate real conditions with x-ray or ultrasonic machines. (From Iturralde, Dictionary and Handbook of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Imaging, 1990)	Phantoms, Radiographic,Phantoms, Radiologic,Radiographic Phantoms,Radiologic Phantoms,Phantom, Radiographic,Phantom, Radiologic,Radiographic Phantom,Radiologic Phantom,Imaging Phantom,Imaging Phantoms,Phantom, Imaging