Radiation dose measurement for various parameters in MDCT

The MDCT parameters affecting radiation dose include tube voltage, tube current, change of beam collimation, and size of the human body. The purpose of this study was to measure and evaluate radiation dose for MDCT parameters. A comparative analysis of the radiation dose according to before and after the calibration of the ionization chamber was performed. The ionization chamber was used for measuring radiation dose in the MDCT, as well as of CTDI W according to temperature and pressure correction factors in the CT room. As a result, the patient dose of CTDI W values linearly increased as tube voltage and current were increased, and nonlinearly decreased as beam collimation was increased. And the CTDI W value which was reflected calibration factors, as well as correction factors of temperature and pressure, was found to be greater by the range of 0.479 ~ 3.162 mGy in effective radiation dose than the uncorrected value. Also, Under the abdomen routine CT conditions used in hospitals, patient exposure dose showed a difference of a maximum of 0.7 mSv between before and after the application of such factors. These results imply that the calibration of the ion chamber, and the application of temperature and pressure of the CT room are crucial in measuring and calculating patient exposure dose.