Estimation of doses to patients from "complex" conventional X-ray examinations.

A numerical method has been developed to estimate the organ doses and effective dose-equivalent for patients undergoing three "complex" examinations (barium meal, barium enema and intravenous urography). The separation of radiological procedures into a set of standard numerical views is based on the use of Monte Carlo conversion factors and measurements within a Remab phantom. The radiation doses measured in a phantom for such examinations have been compared with the predictions of the "numerical" method. Dosimetric measurements with thermoluminescent dosemeters attached to the patient's skin along with measurements of the dose-area product during the examination have enabled us to derive organ doses and to estimate the effective dose-equivalent. Mean frequency weighted values of dose-area product, energy imparted to the patient, doses to a set of organs and effective dose-equivalent in the area of Madrid are reported. Comparisons of the results with those from similar surveys in other countries have been made.