This study aims to estimate radiation doses for paediatric patients undergoing abdominal X-ray examinations in Najran, Saudi Arabia, through evaluation of the entrance surface doses using DoseCal software. Two X-ray units were used at a paediatric referral hospital. A total of 216 patients were examined with an age range between 0 and 7 years. The mean ESDs were found to be 0.042 and 0.101 mGy, for abdomen anteroposterior (AP) and posteroanterior (PA) respectively. The results are useful to the National Centre for Radiation Protection in Saudi Arabia and other professional organizations elsewhere, to set up safety protocols to prevent paediatric patients from needless radiation and to establish diagnostic reference levels (DRLs).
Keywords: ESD; Paediatrics; Radiation doses; X-ray examinations.