X-ray imaging, covering diagnostic and interventional examinations, is an important part of modern medicine but on the other hand it forms the largest component of exposure to artificial ionizing radiation in Europe. Therefore, accurate and consistent quantification of patient radiation exposure with calibrated dosimetry equipment is essential to comply with Council Directive (2013/59/Euratom) and to ensure safety to patients. Currently, the calibration procedures used by calibration laboratories are based on relevant standards (IEC 61267, IEC 61674, IEC 61676) and international protocols (IAEA TRS-457) however they do not fully consider the recent technical developments within medical X-ray imaging. This project will perform a critical assessment of conditions applied in calibrations compared to those used in clinical practice and will study the performance of different dosimeters used at clinics and for calibrations. Based on the results, updated and traceable measurement and calibration procedures will be proposed to IEC and IAEA for inclusion into forementioned standards and protocols.
