CT Dosimetry - The Dose Line Product:
The Dose Length Product (DLP) is an indicator of the radiation dose absorbed by a phantom of a particular size and material as a result of a CT scan.The magnitude of the DLP is representative of an individual's effective dose, but does not equal an individual's dose because the human body is far more complex than a uniform phantom. A precise assessment of patient effective dose would require the skill and expertise of a physicist. In spite of its shortcomings, the DLP is better than nothing. The unit of DLP is the mGycm. A few years ago, some physicists did advanced calculations of patient dose and compared this to the DLP and determined a weighting factor that can be used to convert the DLP in mGycm. This weighting factor can be used to provide a course estimate of a patient's effective dose in milli-Sieverts (mSv).
Note that the following calculator is for educational purposes only.
Enter DLP in mGycm here:
Scan Region
E
Tissue Factor
in mSv/(mGycm)
ED
in mSv
Equivalent
Chest X-rays
BERT
in days
Head
Neck
Chest
Abdomen
Pelvis
Legs