title: Evaluation of the effects of subject thickness on the exposure index in digital radiography.
abstract: The exposure index (EI) was proposed as a new X-ray dose index by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and has since been implemented as an international standard. The EI is calculated by use of an approximation equation under IEC-specified calibration conditions. However, several factors encountered in clinical practice, including the patient's body thickness and the tube voltage, differ with regard to these calibration conditions. We, therefore, require a solid water phantom-based function that can incorporate the IEC-specified conditions and different subject thicknesses to evaluate the effects of subject thickness on the EI. Here, we assumed average thicknesses of 10 cm for a child, 15 cm for slender patients, and 21 cm for an average adult abdomen and we evaluated errors, that are included in the EI, which were calculated by use of the function. Our results suggested that the EI depends on the subject thickness. At the 21-cm thickness (average adult abdomen), the display EI exhibited a small error level. In contrast, EI values calculated from the calibration conditions exhibited maximum errors that were as high as 34 % at the lower subject thicknesses (10 and 15 cm), suggesting a significant influence of the subject thickness on the EI. In conclusion, the EI should be used cautiously during the examination of children and thin patients, with a complete understanding of the discrepancy revealed by our study results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka 1-1, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, 807-8555, Japan. takaki-t@clnc.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka 1-1, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, 807-8555, Japan. dakazuki@clnc.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka 1-1, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, 807-8555, Japan. seiichi@clnc.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka 1-1, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, 807-8555, Japan. h-ogawa@clnc.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Haruhisa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka 1-1, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, 807-8555, Japan. m-ogawa@clnc.uoeh-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Modality Solution Division, FUJIFILM Medical Co., Ltd., 1-3-5 Nishimiyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, 532-0004, Japan. masatoshi.sakamoto@fujifilm.com.
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement
keywords: Digital radiography; Exposure index; Pediatric radiography; Radiation dose