Prospective dose monitoring using a manual dose management system: experience in brain computed tomography from a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Abstract

A manual radiation dose management system was developed to track the radiation dose and scan parameters of patients for brain computed tomography (CT). Radiation dose in volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) were monitored to identify procedures that may require optimisation using notification values. The data were analysed and compared with national and international diagnostic reference levels (DRLs). A total of 596 brain CTs were monitored and grouped as <1: 36, 1–<5: 38, 5–<10: 25, 10–<15: 31 and adult: 466. The CTDIvol notification value identified the following number of examinations having high CTDIvol in <1 y: 1, 1–<5: 1, 5–<10: 0, 10–<15: 0 and adult (>15): 11. Furthermore, the DLP notification values identified the following examinations with high DLP in <1 y: 1, 1–<5:1, 5–<10:1, 10–<15: 1 and adults (>15): 18. The established local paediatric DLP DRLs were 2–3 times higher than the international paediatric DLP DRLs. This calls for a total protocol review and optimisation considering the local CT practices for paediatric imaging.