A dual-modality quantification of scattered radiation from head to female breasts during radiological investigations in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Background To quantify the amount of scattered radiation reaching the breasts during x-ray and CT investigations of the head in order to find appropriate justification for an intended change in practice involving torso shielding. Results Scattered radiation from the head reached the breasts in both procedures. The range and mean dose were (CR 1.02–3.61/1.94 ± 0.63 mGy) and (CT 2.20–8.50/3.74 ± 2.28 mGy). Both breasts had enormous dose difference in CR (72.3%) and CT (51.4%) which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Correlation of dose with anthropometric parameters gave weak results. Conclusion Despite dose mitigation strategies such as software and hardware modifications in radiological modalities, use of anti-scatter grid, appropriate collimation and dose optimization by radiographers, scattered radiation still traveled from the head to the breasts. These were, however, significantly reduced when shielding was applied. For a dose-safe practice, radiographers are urged, in addition to current strategies at mitigating scatters, to adopt torso shielding during examinations involving contiguous anatomies to the breast.