title: Estimated collective effective dose to the population from radiological examinations in Slovenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate population exposure from diagnostic and interventional radiological procedures in Slovenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in scope of the "Dose Datamed 2" project. A standard methodology based on 20 selected radiological procedures was adopted. Frequencies of the procedures were determined via questionnaires that were sent to all providers of radiological procedures while data about patient exposure per procedure were collected from existing databases. Collective effective dose to the population and effective dose per capita were estimated from the collected data (DLP for CT, MGD for mammography and DAP for other procedures) using dose conversion factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total collective effective dose to the population from radiological in 2011 was estimated to 1300 manSv and an effective dose per capita to 0.6 mSv of which approximately 2/3 are due to CT procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first systematic study of population exposure to ionising radiation from radiological procedures in Slovenia was performed. The results show that the exposure in Slovenia is under the European average. It confirmed large contributions of computed tomography and interventional procedures, identifying them as the areas that deserve special attention when it comes to justification and optimisation.
authors: Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Dejan
authors: D
authors: Zontar
authors: Institute of Occupational Safety, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Urban
authors: U
authors: Zdesar
authors: Clinical Radiology Institute, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Dimitrij
authors: D
authors: Kuhelj
authors: Clinical Radiology Institute, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Dean
authors: D
authors: Pekarovic
authors: Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Damijan
authors: D
authors: Skrk
keywords: collective effective dose; diagnostic procedures; dose per capita; population exposure; radiological procedures