Evaluation of patient doses due to fluoroscopic exposures

The present study measures entrance surface doses of radiation administered to patients during various fluoroscopic procedures using a dose-area product meter as well as the duration of each procedure. A conversion factor for entrance skin dose to patients was calculated. The average dose to patient during the insertion of intravenous hyperalimentation was 10.2 (maximum, 74.0) mGy, during a barium meal, 58.4 (maximum, 184.0) mGy, for endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP), 97.3 (maximum, 376.0) mGy and for a barium enema, 86.1 (maximum, 271.0) mGy. Doses tended to increase in the abdominal domain and when patients undergo not only diagnostic evaluation but also treatment requiring procedures such as drainage. The management of radiation doses determined using a dose-area product meter is very important and that of individual patients is enabled using the Radiation Information System (RIS).