Evaluation of computed tomography radiation dose metrics in Saudi Arabia: Comparison to national and international diagnostic reference levels.

This review evaluates CT radiation dose levels in Saudi Arabia relative to national Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) established by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Kingdom (UK). A total of 31 studies published between 2015 and 2025 were reviewed, covering adult and pediatric CT protocols for head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and multiphase scans. The review highlights variations in the volumetric computed tomographic dose index (CTDIvol), and the dose-length product (DLP) values among different institutions in KSA. For adult protocols, fifteen studies reported dose metric values below the KSA NDRLs, while 8 studies reported values below the UK NDRLs. In contrast, among pediatric studies, approximately 90% of the reported dose metrics were lower than the NDRLs in both KSA and the UK. The results emphasize the importance of implementing standardized protocols to enhance the KSA national DRLs and expand the range of examination protocols, particularly for pediatric patients.