Effective dose from radiation absorbed during a panoramic examination with a new generation machine.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this investigation was to measure the tissue-absorbed dose and to calculate the whole-body effective dose (E) for a new generation panoramic machine (Planmeca PM 2002 CC Proline), operating in the panoramic examination mode. Comparisons could then be made with historical panoramic and intraoral radiographic dose measurement values and effective dose estimates.

STUDY DESIGN

Thermoluminescent dosimeters were embedded in a humanoid, tissue-equivalent phantom at anatomically significant sites, representing key tissues. Absorbed dose measurements were obtained after every 5 panoramic exposures of a 25-exposure total. The measured average tissue-absorbed doses from a single panoramic exposure were used in the calculation of the whole-body E.

RESULTS

The whole-body E for the PM 2002 CC Proline panoramic examination is 3.85 microSv. This is below the panoramic average of 6.7 microSv. The PM 2002 CC Proline panoramic examination delivers approximately 5% to 12% of the E of a complete mouth intraoral radiographic examination.

CONCLUSIONS

The effective dose from the PM 2002 CC Proline examination is at the low end of the range for other panoramic machines and is far below either a D-speed or E-speed film intraoral radiographic examination.