Radiation Protection in Computed Tomography Imaging

摘要

Radiation safety is a growing concern in the medical imaging profession, particularly with computed tomography (CT) because of its high dose of radiation per examination. Although any amount of radiation is a concern, the difference in exposure from CT compared with general radiography is immense. A routine chest radiograph, for example, delivers a dose of approximately 0.02 mSv to the patient, whereas a chest CT delivers a dose of approximately 8 mSv/ a 400-fold increase between the 2 modalities. This increase varies depending on patient size and whether contrast is administered. Because radiation follows a linear nonthreshold response curve, there is no safe dose, and as dose increases, risks of overexposure also increase.