Affiliations: [a] Department of Radiological Science, Gachon University Medical Campus, Incheon, Korea | [b] Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea | [c] Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea | [d] Department of International Radiological Science, Hallym University of Graduate Studies, Seoul, Korea
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Jae-Hwan Cho, Department of International Radiological Science, Hallym University of Graduate Studies, 427, Yeoksam-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-841, Korea. Tel.: +82 70 8680 5900; Fax: +82 2 3453 6618; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: We found a way to optimize the image quality and reduce
the exposure dose of patients through the proper activity combination of the
automatic exposure control system chamber for the dose optimization when
examining the pelvic anteroposterior side using the phantom of the human
body standard model. We set 7 combinations of the chamber of automatic
exposure control system. The effective dose was yielded by measuring five
times for each according to the activity combination of the chamber for the
dose measurement. Five radiologists with more than five years of experience
evaluated the image through picture archiving and communication system using
double blind test while classifying the 6 anatomical sites into 3-point
level (improper, proper, perfect). When only one central chamber was
activated, the effective dose was found to be the highest level, 0.287 mSv;
and lowest when only the top left chamber was used, 0.165 mSv. After the
subjective evaluation by five panel members on the pelvic image was
completed, there was no statistically meaningful difference between the 7
chamber combinations, and all had good image quality. When testing the
pelvic anteroposterior side with digital radiography, we were able to reduce
the exposure dose of patients using the combination of the top right side of
or the top two of the chamber.
Keywords: Digital radiography, auto exposure control, chamber, dose optimization
