Comparison of doses for bedside examinations of the chest with conventional screen-film and computed radiography: Results of a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE: To compare the radiation doses received by patients during bedside chest radiography when a computed radiography system was used and when a 400-speed screen-film system was used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was performed whereby all patients who were admitted to an intensive care unit were randomly assigned at admission to have all radiographic chest images obtained with either computed or conventional screen-film radiography. Doses were measured for 1 year, during which 269 patients underwent imaging. For these patients, surface entry doses were measured by means of individual thermoluminescent dosimeters placed on the skin at the center of the radiation beam. In addition, data were collected relating to the patient and examination characteristics, as well as to repeat examinations. Effective doses were calculated. RESULTS: The patients in the two arms of the study were well matched. The surface entry doses were higher in the computed radiography group (median, 0.21 mGy for computed radiography and 0.16 mGy for conventional radiography), and the effective doses were also higher (median, 0.036 mSv for computed radiography and 0.027 mSv for conventional radiography). Fewer examinations were repeated when computed radiography was used. CONCLUSION: When computed radiography was used, patient doses increased. The speed of this computed radiography system, which uses phosphor plate imaging, equates approximately to a 300-speed screen-film system.