title: Evaluation of Radiation Dose Received by Premature Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to evaluate the radiation dose received by premature neonates using diagnostic radiographies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted on 116 premature neonates with gestational age from 25 to 37 weeks; with the diagnosis of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and tachypnea, they were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Ahvaz Imam Khomeini Hospital in 2015. For assessing the dose received, the model GR-200 thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) was used. For each premature neonate under radiation, three TLDs separately (one for each) were placed on surfaces of Ch1, T1, and G1 (chest, thyroid, and gonad of first newborn, respectively). Moreover, for the adjacent neonate at a distance of 60 - 100 cm, two TLDs were laid in the surfaces of T2 and G2 (thyroid and gonad of second newborn, respectively). The dose received by TLDs for any baby and the adjacent neonate under the entrance surface dose (ESD) was estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean of neonates' weight under study was 1,950.78 ± 484.9 g. During the hospitalization period, minimum one and maximum three radiographies were done for any premature neonate. The doses received in the premature neonates to Ch1, T1 and G1 were 0.08 ± 0.01, 0.06 ± 0.01, and 0.05 ± 0.01 mSv, respectively and for adjacent infants for T2 and G2 were 0.003 ± 0.001 and 0.002 ± 0.0009 mSv, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the study, radiation dose received by organs at risk of premature neonates was lower than the international criteria and standards, therefore, also due to the lack of radiation damage threshold, to limit collimator, and the use of the proper filtration, kilovoltage and time during radiography of premature neonates are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohmmadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aramesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Kobra Aria
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Zanganeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dehdashtian
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malekian
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology Technology, School of Paramedicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Jafar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fatahiasl
keywords: Entrance surface dose; NICU; Radiation; Received dose