Affiliations: [a]
Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
| [b]
Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Zuoying Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
| [c]
Department of Medical Imaging and Radiology, Shu-Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
| [d]
Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Jo-Chi Jao, Ph.D., Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Rd., Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 80708 R.O.C. Tel.: +886 7 3121101/Ext. 2356#14; Fax: +886 7 3113449; E-mail: jochja@kmu.edu.tw.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Medical imaging plays a crucial role in modern medicine. In order to provide fast and accurate medical diagnosis, computed tomography (CT) is a commonly used tool in radiological examinations, and 640-slice CT is the most advanced CT imaging modality. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the radiation dose and the risk under 640-slice abdominal CT examination. METHODS:Examinations were performed using a 640-slice CT scanner on an Alderson-Rando anthropomorphic phantom. The used scanning acquisition parameters were the same as those used on abdominal examination without contrast medium injection in clinical practice. To measure the absorbed doses, optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs) were put into liver, stomach, bladder, gonads, colon, small intestine, bone marrow, and skin. RESULTS:According to the 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP Publication 60), the calculated effective doses received from this examination were 0.90 mSv in males and 0.89 mSv in females. According to the 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP Publication 103), the calculated effective dose received from this examination was 0.83 mSv in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS:Radiation doses obtained from the abdominal 640-slice CT examination are lower than the yearly cumulative doses received from natural radiation, revealing there is no deterministic effect and radiation risk is relatively low; therefore, this CT examination is considered safe.
