Introduction of software for patient dose assessment in computed tomography

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the radiation dose to patients undergoing radiological examinations, particularly computed tomography (CT), which has been reported to contribute the highest collective dose among X-ray diagnostic and interventional examinations. Regular monitoring and evaluating radiation doses for patients are essential to ensure quality assurance for all procedures. To address the inherent limitations of traditional dose assessment methods, an in-house software application named NTTU-SmartDose was developed to extract dose-related data from digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) files. The software estimates the effective dose for each CT examination and reports the cumulative effective dose for each patient. A warning function, triggered when the cumulative dose exceeds a predefined threshold, has also been integrated into the software. Testing results indicated that the software provides accurate and reliable dose estimations, highlighting its potential as a valuable tool in diagnostic radiology departments. Implementing such tools is critical to healthcare systems aiming to comply with safety standards and optimise radiation-related procedures.