Radiographers’ knowledge and practice of computed tomography dose management in northeastern Nigeria: Implications for patient safety and global standards

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is indispensable in modern diagnostics but delivers relatively high radiation doses, increasing the risk of stochastic effects such as radiation‑induced cancers. Effective dose management is essential for patient safety, and radiographers are pivotal in implementing dose-reduction strategies. Evidence suggests inconsistent use of dose reduction technologies and limited understanding among radiographers, resulting in potential unnecessary radiation exposure for patients. Objective: This study assessed the knowledge and practice of CT dose management among radiographers in Northeastern Nigeria Methodology:  A crosssectional questionnairebased study was conducted among 110 radiographers performing CT in Northeastern Nigeria. The instrument, developed from ICRP and related dosemanagement literatures; content validity was established by experts and reliability confirmed (Cronbach’s α = 0.724). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal–Wallis tests (p < 0.05). Results: Respondents were mainly male (64.5%), with a Bachelor of Radiography (76.4%) and mean experience of 7.34 years. Overall knowledge of CT dose management was moderate (62.7%), with low familiarity with ATCM (40.7%), CTDI/DLP (36.4%), DRLs (43.3%), and AI tools (16.8%). Qualification significantly influenced knowledge, with MSc holders scoring higher than B.Rad radiographers (p = 0.006). Adherence to recommended dosemanagement structures was poor (45.2%), and practice scores were moderate (50.9%), with underuse of routine dose monitoring and formal DRLbased protocols. Conclusion: Radiographers in Northeastern Nigeria demonstrate moderate conceptual knowledge and practice of CT dose management but show substantial deficiencies in the use of DRLs, dose indices, ATCM, and AIbased tools, alongside weak institutional dosegovernance structures.