Cumulative radiation exposures during diagnosis and treatments with diagnostic radiology tools: In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

To evaluate the cumulative radiation dose for diagnosis and treatment with diagnostic radiology tools for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Cumulative radiation dose of 98 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were examined by diagnostic CT, CT for follow-up, once or repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and X-ray examinations. Thus, we calculated the total cumulative effective doses per patient. The mean follow-up periods were 85 (51-102) weeks. A total of 565 CT scans, 262 TACEs, and 1679 X-ray examinations were enrolled. Cumulative effective dose values per person of 91.4 ± 50.6 (8.4-244.7) mSv, 49.2 ± 44.7 (5.3-247.6) mSv, and 3.6 ± 4.7 (0.02-22.04) mSv were measured for CT, TACE, and X-ray examinations. Total cumulative effective dose values per person were measured as 144.2 ± 87.4 (15.4-513.5) mSv. The patient who underwent TACE are exposed to pretty high dose radiations, thus, significant efforts to reduce the radiation dose are necessary.