Patients Radiation Risks from Computed Tomography Lymphography

Objectives: This study aims to first measure patient doses during computed tomography (CT) chest, abdomen, and extremities procedures for evaluation lymphedema, and second to estimate the radiation dose-related risks during the procedures. Material and Methods: Radiation effective doses from CT lymphography procedures quantified using CT machines from different vendors. After the calibration of CT systems, the data collected for a total of 28 CT lymphography procedures. Effective and organ doses extrapolated using national radiological protection software based on Monte Carlo simulation. Results: The mean patient doses for chest and abdomen procedures in term of CTDIvol (mGy) and DLP (mGy.cm) are 10.0 ± 3 and 425 ± 222 and 24 ± 12 and 1118 ± 812 for CT 128 and CT 16 slice, respectively. The mean DLP (mGy.cm) for extremities was 320 ± 140 and 424 ± 212 for CT 128 and CT 16 slice, in that order. Conclusion: Patients’ dose showed significant differences due to variation in the scan length and clinical indication. Organs lay in the primary beam received high radiation doses especially in the chest region which increases the probability of radiation-induced cancer. The current patient’s doses are higher compared to the previous studies.