Technical note: digital radiographic pelvimetry--a novel, low dose, accurate technique.

A technique is described for lateral pelvimetry which results in a lower radiation dose than that resulting from conventional film-screen pelvimetry and computed tomography (CT) pelvimetry. It uses digital radiographic imaging thereby closely matching conventional techniques yet additionally providing post-processing facilities including distance measurement and contrast adjustment. The digital technique was evaluated with an anthropomorphic phantom and compared with the conventional technique by measuring entrance surface doses on two groups of post-natal patients. Digital radiography gave radiation doses 10 times lower than those using conventional techniques.