Entrance surface doses to patients undergoing selected diagnostic X-ray examinations in Sudan

The aim of the study was to evaluate the entrance surface doses (ESDs) to patients undergoing selected diagnostic X-ray examinations in major Sudanese hospitals. ESD per examination was estimated from X-ray tube output parameters in four hospitals comprising eight X-ray units and a sample of 346 radiographs. Hospital mean ESDs estimated range from 0.17 to 0.27 mGy for chest AP, 1.04-2.26 mGy for Skull AP/PA, 0.83-1.32 mGy for Skull LAT, 1.31-1.89 mGy for Pelvis AP, 1.46-3.33 mGy for Lumbar Spine AP and 2.9-9.9 mGy for Lumbar Spine LAT. With exception of chest PA examination at two hospitals, mean ESDs were found to be within the established international reference doses. The results are useful to national and professional organisations and can be used as a baseline upon which future dose measurements may be compared.