Further optimization of image quality and patient dose for the digital radiography of pediatric extremities seems to be possible using a lower tube voltage and no added filtration.
Challenges of pediatric radiography are the very low contrast anatomies and the high sensitivity of young patients to x-rays. In conventional film radiography, for dose reduction typically the tube voltage is increased and Al+Cu pre-filtration is added leading to beam hardening which causes reduced patient dose but also contrast loss in the image. While analog film imaging requires a certain image receptor dose, for film blackening digital radiography offers a decoupling of image acquisition and display and thus provides a new degree of freedom for optimization.
Hypothesis: The optimum dose efficiency for digital radiography of pediatric extremities is achieved at different beam qualities than commonly applied for conventional screen-film imaging.
Neitzel, U,
Manke, D,
Hess, R,
Optimizing Dose Efficiency for Digital Radiography of Pediatric Extremities. Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL.
http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12043878.html
