Evaluation of the Entrance Skin Dose in Animals Undergoing Diagnostic Radiology Using LiF, Mg, Ti Thermoluminescence Dosimetry (TLD-100)

Introduction According to the International Commission on Radiological Protection publication numbers 60 and 21, the environmental control standards should ensure human and other species protection to a desirable degree. Since application of radiographic procedures in Veterinary Medicine has increased significantly, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the entrance skin dose to the animals (e.g., dogs, cats, horses, and birds) undergoing diagnostic radiology. Materials and Methods The entrance skin dose to the animals in different radiology procedures were estimated through a) indirect estimation using the output of X-ray tubes and b) direct measurement using LiF:Mg, Ti  (TLD-100)  thermoluminescence dosimeter. Regression analysis was performed for comparison of the two methods. The animals included in this study were cats, dogs, small birds, horses, parrots, and chough. Results The dose received by the animals varied from 20 mGy to 1189.2 mGy, depending on the animal thickness, focal spot to surface distance, imaging technique, and animal type. Conclusion Optimized procedures are suggested for obtaining high-quality images, with a reasonably low dose imposed to the animals.