RADIATION EXPOSURE OF PAEDIATRIC GENERAL RADIOGRAPHY, FLUOROSCOPY AND CT PROCEDURES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC-PILOT STUDY.

The pilot dose survey on paediatric general radiography, fluoroscopy and CT procedures was performed in four university hospitals. The analysis of data was focused on the radiography and CT imaging of head, chest, abdomen, pelvis and spine and fluoroscopic procedures of gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. The survey was conducted by the National Radiation Protection Institute.

Comparison of pencil-type ionization chamber calibration results and methods between dosimetry laboratories.

A comparison of calibration results and procedures in terms of air kerma length product, PKL, and air kerma, K, was conducted between eight dosimetry laboratories. A pencil-type ionization chamber (IC), generally used for computed tomography dose measurements, was calibrated according to three calibration methods, while its residual signal and other characteristics (sensitivity profile, active length) were assessed. The results showed that the "partial irradiation method" is the preferred method for the pencil-type IC calibration in terms of PKL and it could be applied by the calibration laboratories successfully.

IAEA survey of paediatric computed tomography practice in 40 countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa: procedures and protocols.

Objective: To survey procedures and protocols in paediatric computed tomography (CT) in 40 less resourced countries.

Methods: Under a project of the International Atomic Energy Agency, 146 CT facilities in 40 countries of Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America responded to an electronic survey of CT technology, exposure parameters, CT protocols and doses.

Results: Modern MDCT systems are available in 77 % of the facilities surveyed with dedicated paediatric CT protocols available in 94 %.

IAEA survey of pediatric CT practice in 40 countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa: Part 1, frequency and appropriateness.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of pediatric CT in 40 less-resourced countries and to determine the level of appropriateness in CT use.

Materials And Methods: Data on the increase in the number of CT examinations during 2007 and 2009 and appropriate use of CT examinations were collected, using standard forms, from 146 CT facilities at 126 hospitals.

Results: The lowest frequency of pediatric CT examinations in 2009 was in European facilities (4.

The quality of dental radiography in the Czech Republic--results of a TLD and film postal audit.

Since 2002, the postal audit in dental radiography has been supplementing standard quality control (QC) tools for dental intraoral X-ray machines. An aim of the audit is to check basic X-ray machine parameters (field size, exposure reproducibility), and a quality of the whole process of diagnostic imaging (entrance surface air-kerma measurement, a check of film processing and an image quality evaluation). The standard QC tests, performed by private companies, check mainly the X-ray unit.