Entrance-Surface-Dose Evaluation of Patients Examined by Diagnostic X-rays at Alhilal Alahmar Medical Center

Medical Exposures from diagnostic X-rays machines are the most significant artificial source of human exposure to sparsely ionizing radiation. However there is lack of available data and relevant information on the evaluation of patient's entrance surface dose (ESD) from diagnostic X-Rays. In this research, the Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) is estimated for adult patients who have undertaken diagnosis X-ray examinations at Alhilal Alahmar Medical Center. The ESD has been estimated indirectly by using the X-Rays exposure factors for patients. The results of this research showed that the mean patient entrance surface doses (ESD) were 23.27±7.11 (mGy), 4.31±1.41 (mGy), 3.73±0.32 (mGy), 4.23±3.49 (mGy), 11.95±14.42 (mGy) and 3.79±034 (mGy) respectively for Lumbar Spine (LAT), Cervical Spine (LAT/AP), Chest (PA), Foot (AP/LAT), Knee (AP/LAT), and PNS (AP/ PA/LAT). The mean ESD values estimated are found to be slightly higher than the mean ESD reference values. This confirms the requirement for reducing the patients' doses to the tolerable levels recommended by many international radiation protection commissions.