Cancer risks from head radiography procedures
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The goal of this study is to evaluate the risk of cancer induction in head radiography
procedures with a view to promote dose optimization and enhance patient safety.
Thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD 100) was used to determine the entrance surface dose
(ESD) of 20 patients presented for head radiography in two tertiary healthcare institutions in
Southwest Nigeria. The corresponding effective dose and doses to the brain, oral mucosa and
salivary gland were evaluated using PCXMC software. Incidence cancer risks were evaluated
using BEIR VII model. The total entrance surface dose (ESDT) for mandible, paranasal sinuses
and skull radiography ranged between 3.01-19.12 mGy with a mean of 7.52 mGy. The
resulting effective dose, brain dose, oral mucosa dose and salivary gland dose has a mean of
0.25 mGy, 2.84 mGy, 3.06 mGy, and 4.97 mGy respectively. The least incidence of cancer risk
obtained in this study is 1: 7000. Failure in the adoption of complete optimization technique
was responsible for the increased risk. Periodic dose audit and enforcement of radiation
protection policy will help to checkmate the lapses and alleviate patient risk.
Keywords
QC Physics