Abstract:
In medical exposure dose to patients are determine by input parameters including mAs, kVp, pitch factor among other factors. The aim of this study is to provide procedure and protocol of how to assess patients’ dose (organ and effective dose) estimates with preset eff mAs and standard kVp. This is to determine a tradeoff between patient’s dose and the image quality before imaging. In addition to providing appropriate clinical recommendation for clinicians for dose management during CT scan. MVL DICOM application software was used to access image data during abdominal CT scan. Organ and effective dose estimates were estimated as developed by ICRP 103 recommendations. Where on the image data, using MVL platform detail information of the mAs, kVp, CTDIvol and DLP were available for recording. The weighted CTDI (CTDIW) was estimated by multiplying the volume CTDI (CTDIVOL) by the pitch factor. Which was used to estimate organ dose using the normalized organ dose factor and the effective dose was estimated by the product of the region-specific normalizing constant and the dose length product. The mAs is the effective Milliameter per second, which were calculated by dividing the mAs by the pitch factor. The relationship between input and output parameters were modeled as the final component of the modeling process in a form of GUI applications format. This was done to establish the various process and procedures involve in abdominal scan for dose managements. The coding process involve the use of written visual basic code to design an interface and integrated on the MVL application platform for clinical application. The GUI has been recommended for use by various stake holders in CT operations
