A simplified model for predicting skin dose received by patients from diagnostic x-ray examinations

Use of ionising radiation in any sector requires doses to be kept as low as reasonable achievable (ARALA). Thus, in keeping radiation dose to skin from diagnostic X-rays, as low as is required by this philosophy, it is useful to obtain an estimate of skin dose before the actual dose is administered. The aim of this paper is to present a simplified model for predicting skin doses as function of three diagnostic X-ray parameters. The model used was a modification of an existing model by Edmonds. Results obtained based on our model show a reasonable agreement (1% or less) between our modified and the previously existing model. The main advantage of the modified model over the previous model is that the latter is simpler and therefore more convenient to use in routine prediction of skin doses from diagnostic sources. (Botswana Journal of Technology: 2002 11(2): 34-38