Variations in radiation dose between the same model of multislice CT scanner at different hospitals

The variation in exposure factors and patient dose, between seven centres using identical multislice CT scanners, was investigated for six standard examinations. Dose values were compared with each other and the relevant diagnostic reference level (DRL) for each examination. The range in weighted CT dose index (CTDI(w)) values between the seven centres was small for abdominal scans and head scans. For other scans however, such as functional endoscopic sinonasal surgery (FESS) the variations in CTDI(w) were as high as a factor of seven between the lowest and the highest values. At one centre a program of dose optimization had been undertaken and this centre had CTDI(w) values ranging from 3% to 64% lower than the average value for the seven centres. This demonstrates that significant dose reduction can be achieved through close collaboration between medical physicists, radiologists and radiographers.