for computed tomography (ct)

ISSUES IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE LEVELS (DRLS) FOR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT) EXAMINATIONS IN NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA Joseph Dlama Zira,1 Christian Chukwuemeka Nzotta,2 Joseph Dimas Skam3 De partm e ntofRadiol ogy, Abubak ar Tafaw a Bal e w a Unive rs ity Te ach ing H os pitalBauch i, Nige ria De partm e ntofRadiograph y and Radiol ogicalScie nce s , Nnam di Az ik iw e Unive rs ity, Nne w i Cam pus , Anam bra State , Nige ria 3 De partm e ntofRadiol ogy, Fe de ralM e dicalCe ntre K ats ina, Kats ina State , Nige ria 1 2

PJR October - December 2017; 27(4): 364-369

ABSTRACT BACK GRO UND: Diagnos tic re fe re nce l e ve l s (DRLs ) for com pute d tom ograph y (CT)e xam ination is im portant for dos e optim iz ation.Th e are s ugge s te d action l e ve l s and re fe re nce guide for ach ie ving radiation prote ction am ong patie nts .O BJECTIVE O F TH E STUD Y : To e s tabl is h DRL for CT e xam ination in north e as te rn Nige ria and to com pare it w ith oth e r e s tabl is h e d w ork . M ETH O DO LO GY : Pros pe ctive cros s -s e ctionals tudy conducte d in tw o h os pital s in north e as te rn Nige ria. O ne h undre d and e igh ty s ubje cts w e re re cruite d for th e s tudy. Com pute d tom ograph y dos e inde x (CTDIvol ), dos e l e ngth product (DLP) and Scan param e te rs w e re obtaine d. W e igh t, h e igh tand body m as s inde x (BM I) w e re re corde d. Stude ntT-te s tw as us e d to com pare th e re l ations h ip be tw e e n th e m e an CTDIvolobtaine d in th e tw o ce nte rs , Pe ars on’s corre l ation w as us e d to de te rm ine th e re l ations h ip be tw e e n th e dos im e tric and anth ropote ch nicalparam e te rs . Statis ticals ignificance w as s e tatP0.05) be tw e e n CTDIvolw ith th ick ne s s , w e igh t, h e igh t and BM I for h e ad CT and abdom inalCT. H ow e ve r, CTDI for Ch e s tCT s h ow s tatis tical s ignificant re l ations h ip (p