Establishment of local Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) for radiography examinations in north eastern Nigeria

Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) is an essential optimization tool in radiography and radiological sciences. The objective of the study is to establish DRL for radiography examinations in north eastern Nigeria. A Prospective cross- sectional study conducted in two university teaching hospitals in north eastern Nigeria. Seven hundred and fifty (750) patients were considered for the study. Thermoluminiscent dosimeter (TLD) chips were exposed for each examination. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between the dose and anthropotechnical parameters. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. The DRL for PA chest x-ray and lateral were 0.59 mGy and 1.02 mGy, PA skull x-ray and lateral skull x-ray were 1.02 mGy and 1.01 mGy. The DRL for PA elbow and lateral elbow are 0.57 mGy and 1.77mGy. AP shoulder x-ray and lateral were 0.71 mGy and 0.83 mGy The DRL for dorsi-plantar foot and dorsi-plantar oblique foot were 0.58 mGy and 0.61 mGy .AP dorsal spine x-ray and lateral dorsal spine are 1.03 mGy and 1.09 mGy. AP cervical spine and lateral were 0.62 mGy and0.79 mGy. Lumbosacral spine AP and lateral was 1.22 mGy and 1.59 mGy. AP wrist, lateral wrist, AP knee, lateral knee, Abdominal x-ray, pelvic x-ray, hand dorsi-palmar ,hand dorsi-palmar oblique and dental x-ray were 0.52mGy,0.87mGy, 0.50mGy, 0.50 mGy, 0.91 mGy, 1.01 mGy, 0.82 mGy,0.28 mGy, 0.83 mGy and 0.46 mGy respectively. DRLs in this work recorded lower values compared to international established work. Regular dose optimization etiquette’s are required to ensure good practice.Keywords: Diagnostic reference levels, Radiography, Thermoluminiscent dosimeter, Dental, x-rays, Entrance skin dos

Procjena zahtjeva za snimanje i nalaza na temelju MR slika pacijenata u Državnoj specijalističkoj bolnici Bauchi

Background: MRI plays a vital role in diagnosis of diseases. Objectives: To determine the pattern of imaging requests and findings from MRI scans of patients in the Bauchi State Hospital. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of MRI request forms and findings of 138 patients was conducted from August 2016 to January 2017. MRI scans were performed using a 0.35T Neusoft MRI scanner and reported by a group of consultant radiologists. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics with the computer software SPSS version 22 (IBM, New York, USA). Results: This study revealed that majority of the MRI requests were for lumbosacral spine examinations (n=84, 60.9%), followed closely by MRI of the brain (n=42, 30.4%) and thirdly shoulder and abdomen examinations with a frequency of 4.3% each. Out of 138 MRI scans studied, intervertebral disc prolapse (n=60, 43.5%) was the commonest finding from MRI scans of patients, the second most prevalent finding was L4-L5 degenerative disc disease (n=12, 8.7%). Intramuscular lipoma and basal ganglia edema had a prevalence of 4.3%. Conclusion: The commonest requests were MRI lumbosacral and, in terms of findings, we found intervertebral disc prolapse, L4-L5 degenerative disc disease, basal ganglia edema and intramuscular lipoma as the major findings from MRI scans in Bauchi.Pozadina: MR snimanje ima važnu ulogu kod dijagnosticiranja bolesti. Ciljevi: Odrediti obrazac zahtjeva za snimanje i nalaza na temelju MR slika pacijenata u Državnoj bolnici Bauchi. Metodologija: Prospektivno transverzalno istraživanje obrazaca zahtjeva za MR snimanje i nalaza 138 pacijenata provedeno je od kolovoza 2016. do siječnja 2017. godine. MR slike snimljene su MR skenerom 0.35T Neusoft, a izradila ih je skupina konzultanata radiologa. Podaci su analizirani deskriptivnom statistikom uporabom računalnog programa SPSS, verzija 22 (IBM, New York, SAD). Rezultati: Ovo istraživanje pokazalo je da se većina zahtjeva za MR snimanje odnosila na preglede lumbosakralne kralješnice (n=84, 60,9%), nakon čega slijedi MR mozga (n=42, 30,4%), a zatim pregledi ramena i abdomena (po 4,3% za obje vrste). Od 138 snimljenih MR slika, najčešći nalaz na temelju MR snimanja pacijenata bio je prolaps intervertebralnog diska (n=60, 43,5%), dok je drugi najčešći nalaz bio degenerativna bolest diska L4-L5 (n=12, 8,7%). Intramuskularni lipom i edem bazalnih ganglija imaju prevalenciju od 4,3%. Zaključak: Najčešći zahtjevi odnosili su se na MR snimanje lumbosakralne kralješnice, dok su prolaps intervertebralnog diska, degenerativna bolest diska L4-L5, edem bazalnih ganglija i intramuskularni lipom glavni nalazi na temelju MR snimanja u Bauchiju