Measurement of entrance skin doses in common digital radiography examinations and proposed local diagnostic reference levels

In radiology, collective radiation doses resulting from the use of X- rays in radiography, computed tomography (CT) scans and interventional procedures has maximum contribution to the medical exposures. In diagnostic x ray procedures radiation doses to the patients are usually low and of the order of few μGy to tens of mGy. The low dose exposures in the radiological examinations increase the risk of stochastic effects, mostly cancer induction in exposed patients. The risk of stochastic effects primarily depends on the magnitude of radiation dose as well as on the anatomical structure irradiated. Therefore, all the radiation exposures need to be monitored and optimized to limit the associated radiation risk to the patient without limiting the clinical utility of the diagnostic examinations