Radiation dose from DXA scanning to reproductive tissues of females

Citation
T. Lloyd et al., Radiation dose from DXA scanning to reproductive tissues of females, J CLIN DENS, 1(4), 1998, pp. 379-383
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrynology, Metabolism & Nutrition
Journal title
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL DENSITOMETRY
ISSN journal
10946950 → ACNP
Volume
1
Issue
4
Year of publication
1998
Pages
379 - 383
Database
ISI
SICI code
1094-6950(199824)1:4<379:RDFDST>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
The objective of this study was to use an anatomically arrayed whole-body p hantom to measure radiation exposure to the ovaries and uterus during stand ard dual-energy Xray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning. DXA instrument manufact urers' published entrance skin exposure is about 3 mR (0.77 mu C/kg), which is equivalent to the radiation exposure received during a transcontinental plane trip. Nonetheless, since DXA scanning is used more frequently with v ery young females, the need for pregnancy testing has become an issue that requires attention and formulation of research guidelines. We attached ther moluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) to anatomically arrayed balloon models for ovaries and the uterus, and placed these in the appropriate sites within a small human skeleton along with appropriate amounts of aqueous and fat soft tissue equivalents. Whole-body scanning with a Hologic QDR-2000W was perfo rmed 10 times with the pencil beam mode and, using separate TLD detectors, 10 times with the fan beam mode. Overall, the average exposures at skin ent rance were 0.89 mR (0.23 mu C/kg) with doses for the ovaries of 0.52 mrad ( 5.2 mu gy) and 0.59 mrad (5.9 mu gy) for the uterus. These doses are equiva lent to 2 d of ambient background radiation in central Pennsylvania or 1 h of flying at 39,000 ft. Although different DXA models by Hologic and DXA in struments by other manufacturers will have different radiation outputs, we believe that these low radiation levels do not require pregnancy testing or questioning of whether the scan subject might be pregnant.