Dynamics of medical exposure of the population of the Rostov region for the period 2019-2024

   The contribution of medical exposure to the collective effective dose is increasing both in the Russian Federation and in the Rostov Region, as confirmed by the results of the annual radiation-hygienic passportization.

   The objective of this study is to analyze the structure of X-ray procedures and the collective dose from medical exposure in the Rostov Region in 2019-2024 period. Materials and

   Methods: The radiation-hygienic passports of medical facilities for the period 2019–2024 have been analyzed, along with the forms of federal state statistical reporting No. 3-DOZ and No. 30.

   Results and Discussion: The analysis indicated that there were 621 medical facilities with medical sources of ionizing radiation in the Rostov Region, with private medical clinics accounting for 71 %. In 2024 there were 1,904 X-ray units, representing an increase of 23.32 % relative to the 2019 level (1,544 X-ray units). Radiographic and fluorographic procedures constituted the primary contribution to the structure of X-ray diagnostics: 63 % and 27 %, respectively. The contribution of computed tomography to the structure of X-ray diagnostics increased from 4.38 % in 2019 to 9.91 % in 2024. Over the same period, the collective dose from medical exposure doubled, rising from 2,067.22 man - Sv to 4,296.05 man -Sv, predominantly due to computed tomography its contribution changed from 55.91 % in 2019 to 63.11 % in 2024. The maximum contribution of computed tomography to the collective dose structure (70 %) was observed in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

   Conclusion: The increasing number of X-ray procedures and the use of modern high-dose imaging modalities will undoubtedly influence the dynamics of change in the contribution of diagnostic medical exposure to the collective dose from all major sources of ionizing radiation.

1. Skrk D, Zontar D. Estimated collective effective dose to the population from nuclear medicine examinations in Slovenia. Radiology and oncology. 2013;47(3): 304–310. DOI: 10.2478/raon-2013-0048.

2. Moghadam N, Rehani MM, Nassiri MA. Assessment of patients' cumulative doses in one year and collective dose to population through CT examinations. European journal of radiology. 2021;142: 109871. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2021.109871.

3. Kalnitsky SA, Tselikov NV. Analysis of patient medical exposure in X-ray diagnostics in Russia for half a century (1970-2019). Radiatsionnaya Gygiena = Radiation Hygiene. 2021;14(4): 60-75. (In Russian). DOI: 10.21514/1998-426X-2021-14-4-60-75.

4. Mercuri M, Sheth T, Natarajan MK. Radiation exposure from medical imaging: a silent harm? Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne. 2011;183(4): 413–414. DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.101885.

5. Chen J, Zheng J, Zhang Q, Zhang J, Dai Q, Zhang D. Radiation exposure in recurrent medical imaging: identifying drivers and high-risk populations. Frontiers in Public Health. 2025;13: 1626906. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1626906.

6. On the state of sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population in the Russian Federation in 2023: State report. Moscow: Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing; 2024. 364 p. (In Russian).

7. Onishchenko GG, Popova AYu, Romanovich IK, Barkovsky AN, Kormanovskaya ТА, Shevkun IG. Radiation-hygienic passportization and USIDC-information basis for management decision making for radiation safety of the population of the Russian Federation. Report 1: Main achievements and challenges to improve. Radiatsionnaya gygiena = Radiation Hygiene. 2017;10(3): 7-17. (In Russian) DOI: 10.21514/1998-426X-2017-10-3-7-17.

8. Barkovsky AN, Bratilova AA, Kormanovskaya TA, Akhmatdinov RR, Akhmatdinov RR. Trends in the doses of the population of the Russian Federation in 2003–2018. Radiatsionnaya gygiena = Radiation Hygiene. 2019;12(4): 96-122. (In Russian) DOI: 10.21514/1998-426X-2019-12-4-96-122.

9. Results of radiation-hygienic passportization in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in 2023 (Radiation-hygienic passport of the Russian Federation). Moscow: Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing; 2024. 122 p. (In Russian).

10. Results of radiation-hygienic passportization in the Rostov region for 2024: (Radiation-hygienic passport of the Rostov region). Rostov-on-Don: Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing in the Rostov Region; 2025. 21 p. (In Russian).

11. Popova AYu, Vodovatov AV, Romanovich IK, Ryzhov SA, Druzhinina PS, Ruslan R Akhmatdinov. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the structure of radiation diagnostics and collective doses of the population of the Russian Federation under medical irradiation in 2020. Radiatsionnaya Gygiena = Radiation Hygiene. 2022;15(3): 6-39. (In Russian). DOI: 10.21514/1998-426X-2022-15-3-6-39.

12. Kovalev EV, Kalinina MV, Konchenko AV. Characteristics of medical exposure of the public of the Rostov region in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic process. Current issues in radiation hygiene : Proceedings of the All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation, St. Petersburg, October 10–11, 2023. – St. Petersburg: Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene after Professor P.V. Ramzaev; 2023. P. 171–176. (In Russian).

13. Official website of the Government of the Rostov Region. [Online resource] - Available from: https://www.donland.ru/result-report/2579/ [Accessed 26. 01. 2026]. (In Russian).