ASSESSMENT OF JUSTIFICATION OF X-RAY EXPOSURES IN SOME SELECTED RADIO-DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES IN A STATE IN NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA
Abstract
Background: Justification and appropriateness of medical exposures is when the radiation dose received by patients from a procedure is expected to do more good than harm.
Objective: To assess justification of practice using clinical examination on patients request card.
Method: The survey was conducted in six radio diagnostic centres in Gombe State Nigeria, labeled A to F for anonymity. Patients request cards for medical diagnostic x-ray from each of the hospitals were selected from January to April 2021 and then evaluated. The clinical history and the type of medical examination were compared if it tallied with the clinical indication and examination in the standard template from IAEA on justification of exposure including referral criteria and exposure protocols guidelines.
Results: Facility C has the highest number of cases that are justified for x-ray examination 65(65%), while facility E has the highest number of unjustified cases 37(37%). Upper limb x-rays showed the highest percentage of justified cases 25 (73.5%), while skull x-ray has the highest percentage of cases that are unjustified 4 (44.4%). Age group of 45-55 years has the highest percentage of justified cases 66 (62.2%), while age group of 12-22 years has the highest percentage of unjustified cases 41 (38.3%)
Conclusion: These highlight the need to improve on justification of practice to ensure adequate protection of patients, personnel and the general public from unnecessary radiation exposures.
Keywords: Justification, X-ray exposure, Request card.
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