Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35690743›Full record

ArticleBMC medical imaging2022

Adult Computed Tomography examinations in Uganda: Towards determining the National Diagnostic Reference Levels.

Geoffrey Erem, Faith Ameda, Caroline Otike, William Olwit, Aloysius G Mubuuke, Cyril Schandorf, Akisophel Kisolo, Michael G Kawooya

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical imaging, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Geoffrey EremDepartment of Radiology, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. dreremgeoffrey@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-1667-5219
Faith AmedaDepartment of Radiology, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Caroline OtikeClinical Epidemiology Unit, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
William OlwitDepartment of Radiology, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Aloysius G MubuukeDepartment of Radiology, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Cyril SchandorfDepartment of Nuclear Safety and Security, School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Akisophel KisoloDepartment of Nuclear Physics, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Michael G KawooyaDepartment of Radiology, School of Medicine, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDiagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs), typically set at the 75th percentile of the dose distribution from surveys conducted across a broad user base using a specified dose-measurement protocol, are recommended for radiological examinations. There is a need to develop and implement DRLs as a standardisation and optimisation tool for the radiological protection of patients at Computed Tomography (CT) facilities.

methodsThis was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in seven (7) different CT scan facilities in which participants were recruited by systematic random sampling. The study variables were dose length product (DLP) and volume-weighted CTDI (CTDIvol) for the radiation doses for head, chest, abdomen and lumbar spine CT examinations. The DRLs for CTDIvol and DLP were obtained by calculating the 3rd quartiles of the radiation doses per study site by anatomical region. The national diagnostic reference levels were determined by computation of DRLs using the 75th centile of the median values.

resultsA total of 574 patients were examined with an average age of 47.1 years. For CTDIvol estimates; there was a strong positive significant relationship between the CTDIvol and examination mAs (r

conclusionThis study confirmed the need to optimize the CT scan parameters in order to lower the national DRLs. This can be achieved by extensive training of all the CT scan radiographers on optimizing the CT scan acquisition parameters. Continuous dose audits are also advised with new equipment or after every three years to ensure that values out of range are either justified or further investigated.

Indexed as

Diagnostic Reference LevelsTomography, X-Ray ComputedAdultCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMiddle AgedRadiation DosageReference ValuesRetrospective StudiesUgandaComputed TomographyDiagnostic Reference LevelDose Length ProductUgandaVolume-weighted Computed Tomography Dose Index

Identifiers

PMID35690743
PMCPMC9188687

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.