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A local diagnostic reference level for velopharyngeal investigations

¹ The Medical Physics Department, The Kent Oncology Centre, Maidstone Hospital, Kent ME16 9QQ, ² Diagnostic Imaging Department, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and ³ Medical Imaging Department, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3DZ, UK

The purpose of this study was to derive an initial local diagnostic reference level for velopharyngeal investigations carried out as standard radiological practice in the Medical Imaging Department, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. This is a specialist video-fluoroscopic radiological technique used to evaluate velo-pharyngeal dysfunction, especially for paediatric patients. A retrospective analysis over a period of 7 months involving 50 examinations yielded dose–area product values ranging from 0.04 Gy cm² (minimum) to 0.37 Gy cm² (maximum) with a mean value of 0.11 Gy cm² and 3rd quartile value of 0.12 Gy cm². The maximum effective dose was estimated as 0.016 mGy. An initial local diagnostic reference level of 0.12 Gy cm² has been levied.