Estimation of the Entrance Surface Air Kerma, Patients Body Organ Doses and Effective Dose from Diagnostic X-Ray Examinations in Some Centres in Ibadan

Introduction Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK), body organ dose (BOD), and effective dose (ED) from two hospitals/diagnostic centres in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria for adult patients undergoing routine thorax posterior-anterior (PA) x-ray examination were assessed in this study. Materials and Methods A totally of 207 patients were carefully selected and considered for the study. CALDose_X 5.0 software program was used. The software makes use of the patients’ anthropometrical data, technical exposure parameters and the tube output of the X-ray machine. Results The estimated values of the ESAK in both centres were 0.258 mGy and 0.704 mGy, respectively. The skin recorded the highest BOD in both centres with 0.275 mGy in Hospital A and 0.717 mGy in Hospital B. Similarly, the whole body effective dose (ED) were also higher in Hospital B than Hospital A by a factor of 1.9. The effective dose recorded in Hospital A were below the value (0.04 mSv) reported in literatures for chest PA x-ray examination. Conclusion It was observed that the median values obtained for ESD in both centres are comparable with the established dose reference levels and the dose to male patients were higher than their female counterparts. Nevertheless, these results call for a quality assurance program (QAP) in diagnostic X-ray units in Nigerian hospitals.