Thermoluminescence dosimetry for pediatric radiography of the chest, with and without use of the slot technique

TLD 200 are efficient devices for patient dosimetry due to their high sensitivity and low energy dependence. However, special care must be taken in dosemeter handling, and dosemeter plain reading values must be kept as low as possible. The surface dose which, applying the slot technique, is about 90 p.c. higher than that observed for conventional methods is mainly due to the reduction of the effective scattered radiation, which remains unaccounted for in film exposure and is to be substituted by primary radiation (about 50 p.c. higher dose). Contrasting efficiency and detail imaging are improved significantly. The method described is a step forward in pediatric radiology of the chest, as it allows imaging using hard radiation. Phantom measurements reveal a dose reduction at the surface of about 40 p.c., with an applied energy of 65 kV. This shows: The technique meets one of the prime quality requirements in radiology, namely improved image quality with lower exposure. (orig./WU)