Estimation of patient doses for common diagnostic X-ray examinations in Latvian hospitals, analysis of radiographic techniques and comparison with European guidelines.

This article deals with the estimation of doses received by patients undergoing radiological examinations in order to establish dose reference levels (DRLs) in Latvia. Several large hospitals, small hospitals and private practices were selected for patient dose measurements. The measurements were carried out using calibrated thermoluminiscence dosemeters attached to the patient's skin.

European Study of Occupational Radiation Exposure (ESOREX).

The European Study of Occupational Radiation Exposure (ESOREX) project was initiated by the general directive EC DG XI and carried out by the Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Germany (BfS). It consists of surveys carried out in the 28 European states. The study provides comparable descriptions of the national administrative structures used to monitor and register individual occupational radiation exposure and the national dose statistics.

Dose registry in Europe: national databases and international statistics.

This paper describes the approach used in ESOREX to compare national dose statistics of occupational radiation exposure at a European level. As every country uses its own scheme to characterise radiation work, the 'best common denominator' has to be found in order to compare dose statistics. The same problem has to be solved for the dose bands used in each country in order to scale dose distributions.