Need for harmonisation in the establishment and use of reference dose levels in radiology

Surveys of patient dose in diagnostic radiology revealed a wide variation in doses to patients for the same types of x-ray examination. The large dose variations found in the surveys focused the attention to possibilities for dose reduction in diagnostic radiology. Reference doses were proposed to foster the elimination of doses at the high end of the distributions. Different proposals concerning the establishment and use of reference dose levels (RDLs) have been made by international organisations involved in radiological protection. In practice the diversity of approaches concerning RDLs is even larger. It is concluded that there is need for harmonisation. (author)