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Insights into Imaging

Table 4 Cumulative effective dose caused by AP pelvic radiography in 35 European countries

From: Gonad shielding in pelvic radiography: modern optimised X-ray systems might allow its discontinuation

ScenarioSource effective dose per radiographSource of annual frequency of pelvic radiographs (RP180)Cumulative effective dosea, kmanSvPercentage
1Individual countries (RP180)bIndividual countries26.4≡100
2“European” DRL (RP180)c,,16.161
3Dutch target DRLc,,8.030
4MUMC+,,3.011
5Individual countries (RP180)The Netherlands (RP180)d18.771
  1. a Cumulative effective dose is the sum of the effective dose over all exposed persons in the 35 countries (k in kman-Sv stands for kilo, i.e. 1000)
  2. b Assuming AP projection dominates pelvic effective dose given in RP180
  3. c Most common DRL in Europe is a KAP of 3.0 Gy cm2, also in the Netherlands [70]. The Dutch target is 1.5 Gy cm2, however [74]
  4. d The annual frequency of pelvic radiographs in the Netherlands is 39.8 per 1000 population [77]
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