title: Investigation of patient dose from common radiology examinations in Isfahan, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was measurement of the radiation doses received by patients for common radiology examinations in hospitals under control of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  THERMOLUMINESCENCE (LITHIUM FLUORIDE CHIPS, LIF: Mg, Tl) dosimeter was used to measure patient dose for four (chest, posterior-anterior and lateral and skull anterior-posterior, or posterior-anterior and lateral) common radiographic views in six hospitals (seven X-ray machines). The entrance surface dose was measured on 20 randomly patients for each X-ray room.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximum (8.85 ± 0.62 mGy) and the minimum (0.62 ± 0.22 mGy) values of ESD was obtained for X-ray machines of Shimadzu and Varian located in Ashrafi-Khomeini-shahr and Kashani hospitals, respectively. As results shows, the values of ESD of skull were higher than that of chest examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicated that ESD measured doses were slightly greater than the ICRP and NRPB reference doses. Efforts should be made to further lower patient doses while securing image quality. In addition, the need to provide relevant education and training to staff in the radiology sections is of utmost importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Medical Engineering, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Daryoush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shahbazi-Gahrouei
authors.forename: Milad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baradaran-Ghahfarokhi