Absorbed doses on patients undergoing tomographic exams for pre-surgery planning of dental implants

The thermoluminescent (TL) dosimetry was used to measure entrance skin absorbed doses at anatomical points close to critical organs of patients undergoing tomographic techniques as part of a pre-surgery planning for dental implants. The dosimetric procedure was applied in 19 patients, and absorbed doses could be measured with a combined uncertainty down to 14%. Results showed that patient doses may be increased by a factor of 20 in the helical computed tomography compared to panoramic and spiral conventional tomographic exams.