Table 2.
Estimated red bone marrow (RBM) radiation doses for personal diagnostic x-ray procedures reported by technologists and the corresponding weighted RBM radiation dose score, U.S. Radiologic Technologists Study
| Examination type reported by technologists* | Examination type included in Preston- Martin et al, 2003† | Red bone marrow (RBM) dose (mGy) per examination in Preston-Martin et al, 2003† | Proportion of examinations in Preston-Martin et al, 2003† by grouped category | Number of examinations reported by radiologic technologists (total = 5287) | Proportion of total examinations reported by radiologic technologists | Weighted RBM dose score assigned to examinations reported by technologists‡ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cervical spine | 0.1 | 0.55 | ||||
| Facial/nasal bones | 0.1 | 0.04 | ||||
| Face or Neck X-ray | Mandible | 0.1 | 0.02 | 410 | 0.08 | 0.2 |
| Neck soft tissue | 0.1 | 0.02 | ||||
| Sinuses | 0.1 | 0.26 | ||||
| Skull | 0.5 | 0.11 | ||||
| Entire spine | 2.4 | 0.06 | ||||
| Lumbar spine | 1.5 | 0.24 | ||||
| Lumbosacral spine | 1.1 | 0.44 | ||||
| Spine or Back X-ray | Myelogram | 3.7 | 0.05 | 711 | 0.13 | 1.4 |
| Sacrum/coccyx | 1.7 | 0.02 | ||||
| Thoracic | 0.7 | 0.14 | ||||
| Thoracic/cervical spine | 0.4 | 0.01 | ||||
| Thoraco-lumbar spine | 2.4 | 0.03 | ||||
| Abdomen | 0.4 | 0.27 | ||||
| Barium enema | 6.3 | 0.16 | ||||
| Cholangiogram | 2.3 | 0.02 | ||||
| Cholecystogram | 1.6 | 0.03 | ||||
| Colon | 1.3 | 0 | ||||
| GI or Abdomen X-ray | Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography | 4.2 | 0.01 | 641 | 0.12 | 3.8 |
| Esophagram | 4.1 | 0.01 | ||||
| GI tract | 0.7 | 0.01 | ||||
| Lower GI Series | 6.3 | 0.2 | ||||
| Pancreas | 1.0 | 0 | ||||
| Small bowel series | 3.5 | 0 | ||||
| Small bowel | 3.5 | 0 | ||||
| Upper GI series | 3.6 | 0.23 | ||||
| Upper GI + esophagram | 7.7 | 0.02 | ||||
| Upper GI + small bowel | 7.1 | 0.03 | ||||
| Cystogram | 1.7 | 0.01 | ||||
| Kidneys/ureters/bladder | 0.5 | 0.32 | ||||
| Urinary System X-ray | Pyelogram, intravenous | 2.1 | 0.59 | 138 | 0.03 | 1.6 |
| Pyelogram, retrograde | 2.2 | 0.07 | ||||
| Urethrogram | 2.6 | 0.01 | ||||
| Hip | 0.4 | 0.42 | ||||
| Bony Pelvis or Hip X-ray | Pelvis | 0.4 | 0.43 | 385 | 0.07 | 0.4 |
| Pelvis/hips | 0.6 | 0.15 | ||||
| Chest | 0.05 | 0.97 | ||||
| Chest X-ray | Ribs | 0.4 | 0.02 | 2463 | 0.47 | 0.1 |
| Sternum | 0.6 | 0.01 | ||||
| Chest Fluoroscopy | Chest, Fluoroscopic | 1.4 | NA§ | 206 | 0.04 | 1.4 |
| Cerebral arteriogram | Cerebral arteriogram | 1.0 | NA | 23 | 0.00 | 1.0 |
| Carotid arteriogram | Cerebral arteriogram | 1.0 | NA | 15 | 0.00 | 1.0 |
| Pul. Arteriogram | Pulmonary arteriogram | 1.4 | NA | 4 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Renal Arteriogram | Renal arteriogram | 2.1 | NA | 5 | 0.00 | 2.1 |
| Coronary Angiogram | Coronary angiogram | 12.7 | NA | 91 | 0.02 | 12.7 |
| Head or neck CT | Head/neck | 3.0 | NA | 65 | 0.01 | 3.0 |
| Chest CT | Chest | 9.6 | NA | 43 | 0.01 | 9.6 |
| Abdomen CT | Abdomen | 14.6 | NA | 36 | 0.01 | 14.6 |
| Pelvis CT | Pelvis | 9.1 | NA | 6 | 0.00 | 9.1 |
| Upper Back CT | Thoracic spine | 2.6 | NA | 6 | 0.00 | 2.6 |
| Lower Back CT | Lumbar spine | 5.6 | 0.56 | 31 | 0.01 | 4.8 |
| Lumbosacral spine | 3.9 | 0.44 | ||||
| Whole Body CT | Whole body | 3.5 | NA | 8 | 0.00 | 3.5 |
*
Ascertained from telephone interview at the time of blood collection
†
Reported by Preston-Martin and Pogoda (2003)
‡
Determined by weighting each Preston-Martin and Pogoda (2003) exam dose by the frequency with which the exam type occurred in their study population and is an approximation of 1 mGy, because of the uncertainties in recall of various procedures we prefer using the term “diagnostic red bone marrow radiation dose score” rather than standard dose units.
§
Not applicable