Estimation of dose and cancer risk to newborn from chest X-ray in South-South Nigeria: a call for protocol optimization

Abstract Background The use of X-ray as a diagnostic tool for complication and anomaly in the neonatal patient has been helpful, but effect radiation on newborn stands to increase their cancer risk. This study aims determine mean, 50th percentile (quartile 2 (Q2)), 75th 3 (Q3)) entrance surface dose (ESD) from anteroposterior (AP) chest compare our findings with other relevant studies. used calibrated thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), which was positioned central axis patient. encapsulated TLD chips were held patients’ body using paper tape. mean kilovoltage peak (kVp) milliampere seconds (mAs) 56.63(52–60) 5.7 (5–6.3). background counts subtracted exposed calibration factor applied ESD. Results ESDs between 1 7, 8 14, 15 21, 22 28 days 1.09 ± 0.43, 1.15 0.50, 1.19 0.45, 1.32 0.47 mGy respectively. A one-way ANOVA test shows that there no differences doses 4 age groups ( P = 0.597). 1.07, 1.26, 1.09, 1.29 respectively, 1.41, 1.55, 1.69 effective (ED) this 0.74 mSv, estimated risk 20.7 × 10 −6 . Conclusion ESD primarily affected by film-focus distance (FFD) field size. at ED higher compared national international below International Commission Radiological Protection (ICRP) limit fatal childhood (2.8 −2 Sv −1 ).