Radiation dose reduction in the evaluation of scoliosis: an application of digital radiography

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Radiology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.161.1.3763863· OSTI ID:6934198

Kushner, D C; Cleveland, R H; Herman, T E; Zaleske, D J; Ehrlich, M G; Correia, J A

This report documents the clinical testing of scanning beam digital radiography as an imaging method in patients with scoliosis. This type of digital imaging requires a skin exposure of only 2.4 mR (0.619 microC/kg) per image, compared with the lowest possible posteroanterior screen-film exposure of 10 mR (2.58 microC/kg) at the chest and 60 mR (15.48 microC/kg) at the lumbar spine. Digital radiographic and screen-film images were obtained on multiple test objects and 273 patients. Scoliosis measurements using screen-film radiographs and digital radiographs were comparable to within a mean difference of 1 degrees at many different degrees of severity. The low-dose digital images were found to be useful and accurate for the detection and measurement of scoliosis after the first screen-film radiographs have excluded tumors and structural abnormalities.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
• OSTI ID: 6934198
• Journal Information: Radiology; (United States), Journal Name: Radiology; (United States) Vol. 1; ISSN RADLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DOSES
IMAGES
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIOLOGY
SKELETAL DISEASES
SKELETON
TOMOGRAPHY
VERTEBRAE