Patient dose monitoring software in radiology

An increase in the number of diagnostic procedures using ionizing radiation (computed tomography, interventional procedures, and the use of nuclear medicine) results in an increase in radiation exposure and, consequently, an increase in collective and individual doses of radiation to patients. Diagnostic studies from the international professional community are extensively focusing on issues such as management and dose optimization. Worldwide practice can resolve these issues using software for monitoring patient doses to automatically collect, analyze, and account for patient doses in various types of diagnostic studies. The software allows to obtain data on the doses of patients from X-ray procedures and detailed information about studies, track the total accumulated dose of the patient, and maintain statistics on the device, X-ray laboratory, and the medical organization. It also helps analyze the collected dosimetric data, deduce the causal relationship between dose indications and diagnostic procedure conditions, and monitor the effectiveness of the equipment. The basic capabilities of patient dose monitoring software (DMS) available on the global market were investigated. The major technical requirements for the software functional needed in practical work were defined. Modern DMS have a wide range of possibilities for automated collection, storage, and management of patient radiation exposure data in radiology departments. DMS increase the quality of healthcare services, provide patient safety, and optimize the workflow of medical organizations.