Radiation doses in low-dose pelvimetry using rare-earth screens.

A 'low-dose technique' of obstetric pelvimetry, using rare-earth screens and a reduced ambition level of image quality, yields an estimated absorbed dose to the maternal and foetal gonads of 0.9 and 0.01 mGy, respectively. The resulting risk for 'hereditary ill health' and the risk for induction of leukemia from the absorbed dose to the foetal red bone marrow, have been calculated to be at a very low level.