Documentation of the dose-area product in diagnostic radiology using contrast medium

In complex radiological examinations, particularly those performed following opacification, the mandatory documentation procedures may pose considerable problems. The doses to patients are continuously changed in the course of such investigations and some of these changes are automatical, being brought about by electronically controlled systems. A large number of measures would be required in order to assess all kinds of exposure used in the course of complicated X-ray procedures. In most hospitals performing such examinations, these measures are therefore restricted to the determination and documentation of the total duration of fluoroscopy. Investigations should be carried out into the question as to whether the determination and documentation of the dose-area product on a routine basis as a method of assessing radiation doses to patients would contribute to a better quality of the mandatory documentation procedures. (orig./VHE)