Analysis of Ovarian Dose Exposure in Adult Female Patients during Chest Radiography

The extent of radiation exposure to the ovaries of adult women undertaking thoracic radiographic scrutiny at the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Nigeria, has been analyzed to address the issue of radiation safety and associated reproductive health risks through a quantitative methodology. This research evaluates the radiation doses absorbed by the ovaries during standardized chest X-ray protocols. The ovarian radiation doses of twenty female clients undertaking X-ray assessment to investigate their thoracic region have been carefully investigated at an X-ray facility in a Tertiary Medical Institution in Makurdi employing the thermoluminescent dose measurement method. The evaluation was executed utilizing Lithium Fluoride thermoluminescent discs dose detector, with an identification number 4500 HRMP United States of America in conjunction with three-phase and single phase diagnostic X-ray machines. The mean ovarian doses for the female patients under examination were ascertained to be 0.0376± 0.01 mGy. A trend was observed within the dose and tube potential, wherein an increase in tube potential was associated with elevated ovarian dose readings. The findings suggest that ovarian doses remain within acceptable thresholds, approximately representing 3.8% of the 1 mGy reference dose level. Although the investigation indicates that the average dose to the ovaries is considerably within the recommended limits, care must be taken to adhere strictly to the protocols involve as dose to ovaries depends on the parameters.