Breast Doses from Diagnostic Procedure

Doses to the breast from diagnostic procedures

REB dosimetrists are estimating absorbed doses to the breast from the 1960s through the present decade from a wide range of medical radiographic procedures. The approach is primarily literature based but includes dosimetric modeling of doses received. Selected information on types of data from which dose might be derived or estimated include skin dose, dose area product, x-ray machine potential and others. From the reported dosimetric quantities dose to the breast, basic analytical dosimetry methods are used including various software which is used to validate dose measurements reported. A matrix of estimated doses by examination and time period is being assembled.. These doses will provide useful data for retrospective health risk studies where medical radiation doses to the female breast are an important component of the overall exposure analysis.