Film Reject Analysis and Radiation Doses Received by Patients in Selected Hospitals in Southwestern Nigeria

A reject rate is the percentage of diagnostic images repeated due to errors during radiological examinations. The present study aimed to evaluate the patient radiation doses and analyze the film reject rate as part of quality assurance program in three diagnostic centers in Nigeria.
This study was conducted in three hospitals, namely Federal Medical Center (FMC), General Hospital (GH), and Sacred Heart Hospital (SHH), located in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. For the purpose of the study, the accepted and rejected radiographs during different X-ray examinations were recorded. A total of 376 rejected and accepted radiographs were evaluated in the three hospitals, and the economic losses due to rejected films were determined. The quality control (QC) tests, which involve kilo voltage (kV), milliampere seconds (mAs), etc, were carried out on the facilities of two out of three hospitals using Victoreen 6000m QC kits. The results of the QC tests and exposure parameters were used to estimate the patient doses for different examinations carried out during the study.
Based on the results of the study, the SHH had the highest estimated annual loss of $225, followed by the FMC and GH with annual monetary losses of $208 and $166, respectively. In addition, the anteroposterior projection of the lumbosacral spine had the highest mean dose (15±1.64 mGy) in this study, which was observed in the SHH. Additionally, at FMC, all the estimated doses were low.
Regarding the monetary loss and increase in patient dose burden involved in repeated examinations, it is essential to train personnel on the factors leading to repeated exposures.