Abstract: X-ray computed tomography (X-CT), which is constantly being updated and developed, is indispensable for modern medicine because of its significant advantages in medical imaging. Along with economic development and technological progress, the demand for health checkups and disease diagnosis and treatment for the public is increasing, and X-CT including cone-beam CBCT and even the newly emerging static CT is becoming more and more widespread. As a result, the dose of medical exposure for patients and examinees due to X-CT occupies the largest share of medical exposure to the public from radiological treatment, and the possible radiation risks are of great concern to the whole society. To this end, this paper presents an overview that how to monitor and estimate the medical doses to individual subjects and the public due to X-CT imaging: starting with an analysis including the frequency of X-CT and its distribution characteristics, and then further to review the assessment methods, status and considerations of radiation risks associated with the X-CT. On this basis, four aspects of enhancing medical exposure protection in the widespread use of X-CT are focused to promote the development of X-CT while better pursuing the benefits and avoiding the harms to the public.

Key words: X-CT, medical exposure, risk assessment, radiation protection