[Radiation exposure in abdominal radiography with digital luminescence radiography and conventional screen-film system: an experimental animal study].
OBJECTIVE
To determine and compare the minimum required radiation exposure for a.-p. abdominal radiographs with digital luminescence radiography (DLR) and a screen-film system (SFS) providing adequate image quality in clinical routine.


METHODS
Abdominal radiographs a.-p. of a pig were produced with DLR and SFS systematically varying the tube current-time product. The image quality was assessed by eight experienced radiologists according to the criteria of visual resolution, mean optical density, perceptibility of the lateral edge of the psoas, the caudal edge of the liver, bone structures and intestinal wall.


RESULTS
The image quality of the digital radiographs was better for each criterion except visual resolution if the same current-time product was used for both techniques. From the minimum tube current-time products providing an adequate image quality it follows that a dose reduction of 57% can be achieved by applying DLR instead of speed class 200 SFS.


CONCLUSIONS
The recently published guide-lines for quality assurance in x-ray diagnostics issued by the German Federal Board of Physicians recommend using speed class 400 SFS. Since in that case an approximately halved radiation dose is necessary, dose reduction is hardly to be expected with DLR.
Seifert
H
H
Institut für Radiologische Physik, Universitätskliniken des Saarlandes.
Schneider
G
G
Kubale
R
R
Blass
G
G
Kramann
B
B
Leetz
H K
HK
D000818:Animals; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D011786:Quality Control; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000592:standards; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013552:Swine; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens
Die Strahlenexposition bei der Abdomen-Ubersichtsaufnahme mit digitaler Lumineszenzradiographie und konventionellem Film-Folien-System--eine tierexperimentelle Untersuchung.