Digital radiography can reduce scoliosis x-ray exposure

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Spine (Hagerstown, Maryland); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-199009000-00008· OSTI ID:5986792

Kling, Jr, T F; Cohen, M J; Lindseth, R E; De Rosa, G P ^[1]

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1. Indiana Univ. School of Medicine, Indianapolis (USA)

Digital radiology is a new computerized system of acquiring x-rays in a digital (electronic) format. It possesses a greatly expanded dose response curve that allows a very broad range of x-ray dose to produce a diagnostic image. Potential advantages include significantly reduced radiation exposure without loss of image quality, acquisition of images of constant density irrespective of under or over exposure, and reduced repeat rates for unsatisfactory films. The authors prospectively studied 30 adolescents with scoliosis who had both conventional (full dose) and digital (full, one-half, or one-third dose) x-rays. They found digital made AP and lateral image with all anatomic areas clearly depicted at full and one-half dose. Digital laterals were better at full dose and equal to conventional at one-half dose. Cobb angles were easily measured on all one-third dose AP and on 8 of 10 one-third dose digital laterals. Digital clearly depicted the Risser sign at one-half and one-third dose and the repeat rate was nil in this study, indicating digital compensates well for exposure errors. The study indicates that digital does allow radiation dose to be reduced by at least one-half in scoliosis patients and that it does have improved image quality with good contrast over a wide range of x-ray exposure.

• OSTI ID: 5986792
• Journal Information: Spine (Hagerstown, Maryland); (USA), Journal Name: Spine (Hagerstown, Maryland); (USA) Vol. 15:9; ISSN 0362-2436; ISSN SPIND
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ADOLESCENTS
AGE GROUPS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DOSES
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATIONS
RADIOLOGY
SKELETAL DISEASES
SKELETON
VERTEBRAE
X RADIATION