title: Radiation risk assessment in neonatal radiographic examinations of the chest and abdomen: a clinical and Monte Carlo dosimetry study.
abstract: Seeking to assess the radiation risk associated with radiological examinations in neonatal intensive care units, thermo-luminescence dosimetry was used for the measurement of entrance surface dose (ESD) in 44 AP chest and 28 AP combined chest-abdominal exposures of a sample of 60 neonates. The mean values of ESD were found to be equal to 44 +/- 16 microGy and 43 +/- 19 microGy, respectively. The MCNP-4C2 code with a mathematical phantom simulating a neonate and appropriate x-ray energy spectra were employed for the simulation of the AP chest and AP combined chest-abdominal exposures. Equivalent organ dose per unit ESD and energy imparted per unit ESD calculations are presented in tabular form. Combined with ESD measurements, these calculations yield an effective dose of 10.2 +/- 3.7 microSv, regardless of sex, and an imparted energy of 18.5 +/- 6.7 microJ for the chest radiograph. The corresponding results for the combined chest-abdominal examination are 14.7 +/- 7.6 microSv (males)/17.2 +/- 7.6 microSv (females) and 29.7 +/- 13.2 microJ. The calculated total risk per radiograph was low, ranging between 1.7 and 2.9 per million neonates, per film, and being slightly higher for females. Results of this study are in good agreement with previous studies, especially in view of the diversity met in the calculation methods.
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Department, Medical School, University of Athens, 75, Mikras Asias Str, Goudi, 115 27 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yakoumakis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gialousis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sandilos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgiou
mesh_terms: D034841:Abdominal Cavity / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D012306:Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013909:Thorax / Q000528:radiation effects*