Correlation Between Anthropometric Measurements and Radiation Doses by X-ray Examination of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

Abstract

The upper gastrointestinal tract (UGI) is useful in gastric cancer screening, but it has the disadvantage of exposure due to radiographic examinations under fluoroscopy. The purpose of this study was to compare the median value of radiation dose for UGI in a medical clinic and Diagnostic Reference Levels 2020 (DRLs2020). We also estimated the correlation between radiation dose and four anthropometric measurements (height, weight, Body Mass Index, and abdominal girth). The median value of air kerma-area product (P KA ) and incident air kerma at the patient entrance reference point (K a,r ) were 17.0 Gycm 2 and 64.9 mGy respectively, that were about 0.6 to 0.7 times higher than DRLs2020. The median value of the fluoroscopic time was 168.4 seconds. There was a strong correlation between radiation dose for UGI and the body weight, BMI, and abdominal girth (R=0.71). The relationship between anthropometric measurements and radiation dose for UGI was strongly influenced by fluoroscopic doses which accounts for 83% of the total dose and fluoroscopic times.