How does a digital image receptor affect patient dose in dental radiology?
• Two types of digital system are used in intraoral, panoramic and cephalometric imaging. One involves imaging sensors based on charge-couple devices (CCD) and another uses photo-stimulable storage phosphor (PSP) plates. • Radiographic technique for digital imaging should be adjusted for the minimum patient doses required to provide the required image quality for each examination type. • Intraoral digital radiography offers a potential for significant dose reduction; some studies report that, depending on the diagnostic task, a lower exposure may be used when density and contrast is adjusted using the software features [EC-RP 136]. This is one of the benefits of digital radiography where image quality can be optimised after the image has been taken. • Although digital radiography offers possibility of significant dose reduction, it can, in practice, lead to increased patient dose. This can arise from, for example: using an image quality higher than is necessary; use of unduly long expo
