OPTIMIZATION OF RADIATION PROTECTION THROUGH QUALITY ASSURANCE IN SOME RADIO-DIAGNOSTIC FACILITIES IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Dimas Skam Joseph

Abstract


Background: This study was motivated by the high incidence of cancer and the rapid growth of the radio-diagnostic industry in the Nigeria and globally.

Objectives: To investigate the errors during quality control tests conducted on three x-ray units.

Methods: kVp accuracy: exposures were made on the kVp meter starting from 50 kVp with increments of 10 kVp. kVp reproducibility: five exposures were also made at 70kVp and 20 mAs. Filtration check: three exposures were made on a digital dosimeter with different aluminium thickness placed on it. mAs / exposure timer linearity: three exposures were made on a digital dosimeter at 70kVp for each mAs selected. mAs / exposure timer reciprocity: three exposures were made on a digital dosimeter at 80kVp with three different combinations of mA and exposure time to yield 20mAs. Radiation out-put reproducibility: five exposures were made on a digital dosimeter using constant exposure factors. Beam alignment: exposure was made on an 18 x 24cm x-ray film with four coins were placed on either edge of the light field to make contact with each other. Radiation leakage: with the shutters tightly closed, dosimeters placed at 100cm from the x-ray tube were exposed at 125kVp and 250mAs.

Results: Shimadzu and DM-105N x-ray units failed kVp accuracy test with 05.06% and -08.58% error respectively. Also, the Siemens failed the mAs reciprocity 0.36% error. However, the three x-ray machines passed the other remaining QC tests.

Conclusions: The results obtained demonstrated an acceptable condition for all the x-ray machines. 

Keywords: Optimization, x-ray, quality control (QC) tests.


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References


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