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The aim of the study was to evaluate the entrance surface doses (ESDs) to patients undergoing selected diagnostic X-ray examinations in major Sudanese hospitals. ESD per examination was estimated from X-ray tube output parameters in four hospitals comprising eight X-ray units and a sample of 346 radiographs. Hospital mean ESDs estimated range from 0.17 to 0.27 mGy for chest AP, 1.04-2.26 mGy for Skull AP/PA, 0.83-1.32 mGy for Skull LAT, 1.31-1.89 mGy for Pelvis AP, 1.46-3.33 mGy for Lumbar Spine AP and 2.9-9.9 mGy for Lumbar Spine LAT. With exception of chest PA examination at two hospitals, mean ESDs were found to be within the established international reference doses. The results are useful to national and professional organisations and can be used as a baseline upon which future dose measurements may be compared.

Radiation doses delivered to 461 patients were measured during the period of 12 months in a hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Kerma Area Product, Cumulative Kerma and fluoroscopy time were registered during four selected procedures, namely coronary angiography (CA), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) and pacemaker. For CA, PTCA, PTMC and pacemaker the mean and median kerma area product values in gray centimeter square were found to be (20, 17.9), (56.5, 50.3), (21.6, 19.6) and (15.3, 9.6), respectively. The obtained results for mean and median cumulative kerma in milli gray were (143.7, 120.5), (418.4, 371.4), (119.8, 102) and (88.7, 59.8) as measured for CA, PTCA, PTMC and pacemaker, respectively. The mean and median total fluoroscopy time in minutes were (5.2, 3.39), (17.6, 14.8), (18, 15) and (10.2, 7.16) as registered for CA, PTCA, PTMA and pacemaker, respectively. Maximum skin dose was estimated for 13 patients during PTCA and CA procedures. Dose exceeded 2 Gy in PTCA for one patient. In comparison with the guidelines for coronary examinations suggested by SENTINEL Consortium, a higher fluoroscopy time for PTCA procedure is reported in this study. It is realised that proper selection of irradiation area, technique modes, fluoroscopy time and conducting special training on radiation protection to the operators are the main factors for potential optimisation.

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