title: An education and training programme for radiological institutes: impact on the reduction of the CT radiation dose.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish an education and training programme for the reduction of CT radiation doses and to assess this programme's efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten radiological institutes were counselled. The optimisation programme included a small group workshop and a lecture on radiation dose reduction strategies. The radiation dose used for five CT protocols (paranasal sinuses, brain, chest, pulmonary angiography and abdomen) was assessed using the dose-length product (DLP) before and after the optimisation programme. The mean DLP values were compared with national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average reduction of the DLP after optimisation was 37% for the sinuses (180 vs. 113 mGycm, P < 0.001), 9% for the brain (982 vs. 896 mGycm, P < 0.05), 24% for the chest (425 vs. 322 mGycm, P < 0.05) and 42% for the pulmonary arteries (352 vs. 203 mGycm, P < 0.001). No significant change in DLP was found for abdominal CT. The post-optimisation DLP values of the sinuses, brain, chest, pulmonary arteries and abdomen were 68%, 10%, 20%, 55% and 15% below the DRL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The education and training programme for radiological institutes is effective in achieving a substantial reduction in CT radiation dose.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, University Hospital Berne, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. sschindera@aol.com
authors.forename: Sebastian T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Schindera
authors.forename: Reto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Treier
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Allmen
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nauer
authors.forename: Philipp R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Trueb
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vock
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szucs-Farkas
mesh_terms: D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*