Almuqbil Nora, Hamd Zuhal Y, Elshami Wiam, Abuzaid Mohamed
Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
Medical Diagnostic Imaging Department, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
Diagnostics (Basel). 2025 Jul 23;15(15):1849. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics15151849.
Computed tomography (CT) of the head is vital in diagnosing neurological conditions but poses concerns regarding radiation exposure. Traditional diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) are based on anatomical regions, potentially overlooking variations in radiation requirements driven by clinical indication. This study aimed to establish clinical indication-specific DRLs (DRLCIs) for adult head CT to support precision benchmarking and optimise patient safety. : A retrospective observational study was conducted using data from 378 adult patients undergoing non-contrast CT head scans between September 2022 and February 2024. Data on patient demographics, protocols, and radiation dose metrics (Computed Tomography Dose Index Volume and Dose-Length Product) were extracted using DoseWatch™ software. Protocol parameters were standardised across clinical indications such as trauma, stroke, headache, seizure, and infection. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed. Descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviations, and percentile distributions, were calculated. Correlation analyses were conducted using Pearson's correlation coefficient to examine relationships between dose metrics and patient variables such as age and body mass index. : Mean CTDIvol values ranged from 50.58 mGy (trauma) to 52.90 mGy (infection), while DLP values ranged from 1052.52 to 1219.98 mGy·cm. Percentile distributions were narrow, indicating effective protocol standardisation. The strongest correlation was observed between CTDIvol and DLP (r = 0.89), while age and body mass index showed negligible influence on dose metrics. Comparative analysis showed alignment with international benchmarks from the UK, Qatar, Bahrain, and Nigeria. : This study establishes DRLCIs for adult head CT, demonstrating consistent radiation dose delivery across indications with minimal variability. Clinical indication-based benchmarking enhances dose optimisation and aligns with global radiological protection frameworks.
头部计算机断层扫描（CT）对于诊断神经系统疾病至关重要，但也引发了对辐射暴露的担忧。传统的诊断参考水平（DRL）基于解剖区域，可能会忽略临床指征所驱动的辐射需求差异。本研究旨在建立成人头部CT的临床指征特异性DRL（DRLCI），以支持精准基准设定并优化患者安全。：采用回顾性观察研究，使用2022年9月至2024年2月期间378例接受非增强头部CT扫描的成年患者的数据。使用DoseWatch™软件提取患者人口统计学、扫描方案和辐射剂量指标（计算机断层扫描剂量指数容积和剂量长度乘积）的数据。扫描方案参数在创伤、中风、头痛、癫痫和感染等临床指征中进行了标准化。进行了描述性统计和相关性分析。计算了包括均值、标准差和百分位数分布在内的描述性统计量。使用Pearson相关系数进行相关性分析，以检验剂量指标与年龄和体重指数等患者变量之间的关系。：平均CTDIvol值范围为50.58 mGy（创伤）至52.90 mGy（感染），而DLP值范围为1052.52至1219.98 mGy·cm。百分位数分布较窄，表明扫描方案有效标准化。CTDIvol与DLP之间的相关性最强（r = 0.89），而年龄和体重指数对剂量指标的影响可忽略不计。比较分析显示与英国、卡塔尔、巴林和尼日利亚的国际基准一致。：本研究建立了成人头部CT的DRLCI，表明各指征间辐射剂量传递一致，变异性最小。基于临床指征的基准设定可增强剂量优化，并与全球放射防护框架保持一致。
