Audit of radiation safety indicators of the facility radiology department: Radiation safety indicator audit

Abstract

Introduction: The radiation safety audits serve as a strategic tool for a radiology department to promote patient safety, optimize clinical practices, and improve diagnostic outcomes. The systematic evaluation of the recommended safety indicators (RSIs) provides an objective and quantifiable insight into radiation exposure levels, equipment performance and compliance with established protocols. The benchmarking of these indicators supports data-driven decisions to enhance the safety, efficacy, and credibility of radiological services.  The work presented here assesses the practiced RSIs against recognized standards.

Material Methods: The practiced RSIs were quantified, data was collected, tabulated and organized into Microsoft Excel sheets. The numerical values of RSIs determined and compared  against national and international standards.

Results: The entrance skin dose values range from 0.90 -1.97mGy for knee and foot respectively. The CT median volumetric computerized dose index (CTDI_vol) for the head examination is significantly higher compared to chest and abdomen and pelvic. There’s minimal variation in chest CTDI_vol values across quartiles. The head has the highest median dose (41.9mGy), while chest and abdomen-pelvic CT show a lower median (29.5mGy). The CT head median DLP value determined is 810.4mGy·cm. The facility diagnostic fluoro time are found within the international standards. The average yearly effective dose per worker remained between 0.54-0.69mSv. The repeat-retake rates for general radiography ranged from 2-4.9%.

Conclusion: The study results underscore the critical importance of monitoring and auditing of RSIs to foster radiation safety and ensure the highest standards of patient care and staff protection.

Key Words: Radiology, Radiation Safety Indicators, Quantification, Radiation doses. Optimization