Evaluation of the Patient Dose in Case of Standard Radiographic Examinations Using CR and DR

표준영상의학검사를 대상으로 한 CR과 DR에서의 환자선량평가

  • Kim, Sang-Tae (Department of Radiological Science, Hanlyo University) ;
  • Han, Beom-Hui (Department of Radiological Science, Seonam University)
  • Received : 2010.06.16
  • Accepted : 2010.09.03
  • Published : 2010.09.30

Abstract

In projection radiography, two types of digital imaging systems are currently available, computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography (DR): a difference between them can be stated in terms of dose and image quality. In the Department of Radiology our hospital, a flat-panel DR equipment (Digital diagnost, Philips) and two CR systems (ADC Compact plus digitizer, AGFA) are employed. Eight standard radiographic examinations (Skull AP, Skull LAT, Chest PA, Chest LAT, Abdomen AP, L-spine AP, L-spine LAT, Pelvis AP) were considered: doses delivered to patients in terms of both entrance skin dose (ESD) were calculated and compared in order to study the dosimetric discrepancies between CR and DR. Assessment of image quality is undertaken by Consultant Radiologists to ensure that the quality criteria for diagnostic radiographic images of the European guidelines were met. Results showed that both ESD in DR are lower than that in CR; all images met the criteria in the European Guidelines for both modalities and were used for reporting by the radiologists. Since the operators are the same and the image quality is comparable in both modalities, this study shows that in the considered examinations, DR can perform better than CR from a dosimetric point of view.

방사선 일반촬영은 크게 두 가지 유형으로 구분할 수 있는데 디지털 영상 시스템인 CR(Computed Radiography)과 DR(Digital Radiography)이 주로 활용되고 있다. 이 둘의 차이는 선량과 영상의 질 관점에서 정의할 수 있다. 본 연구에는 피부입사선량(Entrance Skin Dose, ESD)의 관점에서 환자에게 투여된 선량을 계산하고 비교하여 CR과 DR 간의 선량 차이를 연구하기 위해 8가지의 표준 영상의학적 검사(Skull AP, Skull LAT, Chest PA, Chest LAT, Abdomen AP, L-spine AP, L-spine LAT, Pelvis AP)가 고려되었다. 영상화질에 대한 평가는 진단방사선학적 영상을 위한 화질 기준에 부합하는지를 보증하기 위해 영상의학과 전문의에 의해 시행되었다. DR의 ESD는 CR의 ESD보다 낮다는 것이 확인되었다. 방사선 촬영을 담당한 방사선사가 동일인 이었고 CR과 DR의 영상 화질이 유사하거나 DR에서 조금 더 우수했기 때문에 본 연구는 고려된 검사 내에서 DR이 CR보다 선량 절감 차원에서 볼 때 더 우수한 기기라는 것을 보여준다.

Keywords

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