title: Patient doses from CT examinations in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to establish the first diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for computed tomography (CT) examinations in adult and pediatric patients in Turkey and compare these with international DRLs.
  
  
  METHODS
  CT performance information and examination parameters (for head, chest, high-resolution CT of the chest [HRCT-chest], abdominal, and pelvic protocols) from 1607 hospitals were collected via a survey. Dose length products and effective doses for standard patient sizes were calculated from the reported volume CT dose index (CTDIvol).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median number of protocols reported from the 167 responding hospitals (10% response rate) was 102 across five different age groups. Third quartile CTDIvol values for adult pelvic and all pediatric body protocols were higher than the European Commission standards but were comparable to studies conducted in other countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The radiation dose indicators for adult patients were similar to those reported in the literature, except for those associated with head protocols. CT protocol optimization is necessary for adult head and pediatric chest, HRCT-chest, abdominal, and pelvic protocols. The findings from this study are recommended for use as national DRLs in Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey. gokcekaan_atac@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Gökçe Kaan
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Ataç
authors.forename: Aydın
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parmaksız
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: İnal
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bulur
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bulgurlu
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Öncü
authors.forename: Sadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gündoğdu
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013909:Thorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult