Comparison of different protocols for radiography of the premature newborns performed on microfocal x-ray units

Plain radiography still remains a modality of choice for the imaging of the newborn and prematurely newborn in the intensive care units. Introduction of the prospective portable microfocal X-ray unit into radiological practice requires developing imaging protocols with acceptable levels of patient exposure prior to the conduction of a clinical trial. That can be fulfilled by estimating sets of conversion coefficients relating effective dose (as a rough measure of radiation detriment) and measurable parameters of X-ray examination. The aim of the current study was to compare the doses from different imaging protocols of prematurely newborn for the prospective portable microfocal X-ray unit. The model of patient exposure for different irradiation geometries (anterior-posterior, posterior-anterior, left and right anterior oblique) was developed using PCXMC 2.0 software for a set of focal-skin distances, exposure fields and tube voltage values. Conversion coefficients from tube current-time product to effective dose were estimated for each protocol. Based on the results of the study it was possible to select the protocols with the acceptable level of effective dose (less than 0,1 mSv), suitable for future clinical testing.