title: Commissioning and quality assurance protocol for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) systems.
abstract: This study reports on the development and evaluation of a protocol for testing DEXA systems, which can be incorporated into a routine medical physics/engineering service. Methodologies are reported for (1) scatter measurement, (2) estimation of reference dose and (3) enquiry into potential sources of overexposure. Results show that fan-beam and cone-beam systems require shielding if the walls or operator are within 1 m of the table. Patient reference dose was estimated using the dose-area product (DAP). This varied over an order of magnitude from 2 to 36 mGy cm2 in the range of systems studied. The inquiry into potential sources of overexposure revealed some weaknesses in current practise including a design which prevents the inclusion of DAP metres; beam non-uniformity; incorrect specification of patient dose and the risk of overexposure when tube operates during patient positioning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8, UK.
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Sheahan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Malone
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003720:Densitometry; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012542:Scattering, Radiation