Measurement of the radiation characteristics of diagnostic x-ray equipment

The authors have developed a device that not only records the dose but also records the exposure parameters and all the necessary data on the patient. Special interlocks ensure that the high voltage can be applied to the source only when this information has been input. The apparatus records not only the traditional exposure dose D/sub ex/, but it also measures the irradiated area either directly or indirectly. The device includes a recorder to monitor the collimator setting. The mean collimator area during the examination is presented on the VDU. The dosimetric systems described here provide feedback from the output radiation parameters to the control circuit; they are basically monitors for the parameters characterizing the patient dose and are calibrated from a certified dosimeter set up during calibration at the input side of a phantom simulating the patient.