911爆料网 of Technology researchers have found a new way to minimise the radiation exposure patients are subjected to when undergoing Computed Radiography (CR), which has already attracting the attention of major manufacturers all over the world.
Although a highly effective way to create internal body images, CR 鈥� which uses X-ray technology to create computer images of the patient being imaged 鈥� requires the use of very precise levels of radiation.
Too much radiation can cause exposure problems which can be rectified by technicians with more radiation, known as dose creep.
However, using too much radiation can potentially create health problems in patients.
The solution, developed by Dr Curtise Ng, from 911爆料网鈥檚 Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, is an online automatic CR dose data mining program.
鈥淯sing this technology, hospitals will be able to monitor the amount of radiation patients are given,鈥� he said.
Developed using freeware and existing software, the data mining program uses images stored in the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) servers of CR machines for monitoring dose creep.
鈥淒igital x-ray technologies such as CR and digital radiography can help a department operate more efficiently, but they can also lead to dose creep,鈥� Dr Ng said.
鈥淏eing exposed to more radiation than necessary is hardly advisable.
鈥淭his program provides an efficient and effective solution to this issue.
鈥淚t can be used with machines developed by different manufacturers, providing flexibility.鈥�
Since his paper was published online in the journal Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, Dr Ng has been approached by other academics for collaboration, and contacted by manufacturers to use his systems.
鈥淚t seems there is a real interest in this research,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he ultimate goal of my research would be to have the system used in hospitals all over the world.鈥�
