DIGITAL IMAGING (PHOTOSTIMULABLE PHOSPHOR PLATE) OR CONVENTIONAL FILMTO PERFORM BEDSIDE CHEST-X-RAY IN PEDIATRIC RADIOLOGY - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF IMAGE QUALITY AND PATIENT DOSE

Image quality and patient doses received during chest bedside examinat ions performed with conventional (film-screen combination) and photost imulable phosphorus plate systems were compared in a study carried out in 1993 in a French pediatric radiology department. Seventy one child ren (36 males and 35 females) aged between 9 days and 18 years (averag e:43 months) were included in the study. Technical performances of all radiological equipment used were permanently checked through a qualit y control program. One conventional and 3 ''photostimulable'' films we re performed for each patient included (mAs product selected for ''pho tostimulable'' system was progressively reduced down to 60% of that of conventional technique). TLD Lithium Fluoride chips were used to meas ure entrance surface dose during the examination. Image quality of 284 films (213 ''photostimulable'' + 71 conventional) was assessed by thr ee independent radiologists. Advantages and drawbacks of both studied imaging techniques are discussed in terms of patient dose reduction an d image quality.