Компьютерная томография: технические аспекты качества исследований и лучевой нагрузки

Computed tomography (CT) becomes increasingly widespread in Russia. Some CT departments receive patients with great intensity, concentrating predominantly on outpatient cases. CT scanning is performed according to a standard procedure, which usually takes a few minutes. Only a plan radiograph and several slides at best are examined in the presence of the patient. Detailed examination of the images and their description is performed by a radiologist in the late afternoon or evening, when reception hours are over. Such a procedure does not permit an immediate reexamination of a suspicious area using higher resolution or modified scanning parameters. Hospital administration sometimes insists on such methods because of economical reasons. For optimization of the work flow, factual working hours of physicians and technologists must be made equal. Examination of all images should be performed in the presence of the patient to enable in case of indications an additional examination without delay. Description of images must be performed immediately thereafter, so long as the case is fresh in memory. It would permit to spare time and minimize the X-ray exposure.