Running head: DRLs 1

Name of Student
Institution
Date
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Introduction
The most important thing in health is the diagnostic reference levels. It is known as a level that is
used in medical imaging so that it can easily indicate the routine conditions of a patient. It also
has the capability to note down the patient's routine dose. The diagnostic reference levels are
known as the practical tool in the health sector because it has the capability to promote
optimization. At the very first time, they were successful implemented with the help of
conventional radiography in the 1980s. It's very important to recognize that the diagnostic
reference levels are considered to be the one step of the overall process of optimization. They are
known as the guideline for the clinical operations and the health workers restrict them to apply
directly to the individual patients [ CITATION Wal151 \l 1033 ].

Features and purpose

 The future of diagnostic response levels is that they use as a tool for optimization for the
protection of patients.
 They are used for a specific procedure is for the patient.
 The use of diagnostic reference level is specific or as presented in a country or a
particular area.

 The diagnostic Reference levels are used for the purpose of examination and procedures
that are performed in a region or local area where they are applied.

Difference between dose limit and DRL

One of the basic differences between dose limit and diagnostic reference levels is that the dose
limit is known as the fundamental concept of creation protection that is specifically used in a
human body most of the time against radiation regulations. On the other hand, the dose limit is
restricted to stochastic effects [ CITATION Epe16 \l 1033 ].

The setting of DRLs and their responsibility

The diagnostic reference level is always said for the purpose of examination of a patient and this
procedure is performed in a specific regional area or local area.
Running head: DRLs 3

The diagnostic reference levels are made to sit on the third quartile. There establish for a
particular country or region and according to the area, the settings are updated with the use of the
latest technology of machines. It is set on the basis of local dosimetry and some levels of local
circumstances [ CITATION Jär16 \l 1033 ].
In most of the areas, either the local or international government of that particular country is
responsible for the update of the diagnostic reference levels. It is the responsibility of the
government to look after the international safety standards of health validating the particular
instrument.

The difference between national diagnostic reference levels and local

diagnostic reference levels

In the local diagnostic reference levels, the representation of local practice in a group is done.
It's done on a group of local healthcare facilities. The determination of the third quartile is done
from different samples and doses of the patient. The local diagnostic reference levels are based
upon the single large center of Healthcare facilities.
While on the other hand the national diagnostic reference levels each examination was done on
the basis of the distribution of doses. It is usually observed in wide-scale surveys which are
national.

Improving patient radiation protection

The diagnostic reference levels already proved themselves as a good tool for improving patient
radiation protection. The audit of its dose is done to promote the instrument. It is also reviewed
by several patients. It is observed that since 1989 the promotion and awareness are increasing to
reduce X-ray exposure [ CITATION Gro15 \l 1033 ].
The national diagnostic reference levels in the United Kingdom are used for conventional X-ray
examinations especially on adult patients and unfortunately, that was failed due to some of the
improvements were required in imaging practice previously.

Diagnostic reference level values for radiography

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The imaging techniques and radiations are used that's why there is a lot of value of diagnostic
reference level for the purpose of radiography. The object of the human body and its internal can
easily be seen with the help of this procedure. Some of the special terms need to be considered
by doing this procedure.

Diagnostic reference level values for CT imaging procedures

CT imaging is basically known as computer topography. it is used with the help of radiology and
called the imaging technique. It is used for medical purposes. The diagnostic reference levels are
equally valued in it too because it is used by the experts [ CITATION Ker15 \l 1033 ].

Conclusion
It is concluded that there is a lot of importance of diagnostic reference levels in the medical
sector. They are not considered static but still, they should be revised periodically. The particular
doors all dates are performed in diagnostic reference levels for the purpose of comparison. They
have a specific intervention of clinical protocols. It's very important for governments all over the
world to include the diagnostic reference levels in education for all medical students. The
training programs should also be provided for all the individuals so that they can easily be
involved in the sector of medical imaging. In some of the international standards that agnostic
reference levels are replaced previously by the name of guidance levels [ CITATION Reh15 \l 1033 ].

References
Running head: DRLs 5

Epelbaum, R., 2016. Full dose vincristine (without 2‐mg dose limit) in the treatment of
lymphomas. Cancer, 73(10), pp.2515-2519.. s.l.:s.n.
Grodsky, M., 2015. Radiation proctopathy. Clinics in colon and rectal surgery, 28(2), p.103..
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Järvinen, H., 2016. Patient doses in paediatric CT: feasibility of setting diagnostic reference
levels. Radiation protection dosimetry, 147(1-2), pp.142-146.. s.l.:s.n.
Kerns, J., 2015. An evaluation of three commercially available metal artifact reduction methods
for CT imaging. Physics in Medicine & Biology, 60(3), p.1047.. s.l.:s.n.
Rehani, M., 2015. Dose surveys and DRLs: critical look and way forward. Radiation protection
dosimetry, 165(1-4), pp.67-69.. s.l.:s.n.
Wall, B., 2015. Implementation of DRLs in the UK. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 114(1-3),
pp.183-187.. s.l.:s.n.