CAMRT Radiography Practice Exam

What dose descriptor refers to the total amount of exposure for a series of scans?

1. CTDI volume

2. Multi-slice absorbed dose

3. DLP

4. Total scan dose

The correct answer is: DLP

The correct choice refers to the Dose Length Product (DLP), which is a critical metric used in computed tomography (CT) to assess patient exposure to radiation. DLP provides a comprehensive measure of the radiation dose received by a patient during a CT examination, encompassing both the irradiated length of the scanned area and the dose per unit length. DLP is calculated by multiplying the CTDIvol (which stands for Computed Tomography Dose Index volume, representing the dose per slice) by the total length of the scan (in centimeters). This allows DLP to effectively represent the cumulative radiation exposure from a series of scans, making it particularly useful when evaluating the total radiation burden from multiple scans in a single test. Understanding DLP is crucial for practitioners as it helps balance the need for diagnostic imaging with the imperative to minimize radiation exposure to patients.