Nico Buls, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Hilde Bosmans PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Chantal Mommaert, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Françoise Malchair, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Johan De Mey, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate radiation doses and scan protocols from pediatric CT.

Recent years, radiation doses from CT, and especially to children, received a lot of attention in the international medical community. This resulted in the introduction of various radiation protection measures such as dose awareness campaigns, dedicated pediatric scan protocols and the use of tools such as automated tube current (ATC) modulation. A multi-center study was initiated to investigate today’s scan protocol behavior and radiation doses. The study considered five common pediatric CT examinations (head, sinus, inner ear, chest and abdomen) and four age groups (0-1y, 5y, 10y and 15y). Each center was visited by a certified medical physicist to copy the scan protocols and to measure the CTDIvol and DLP in a dosimetric phantom. Predicted dosimetric indices on the scanner console were compared to measured values and towards published diagnostic reference levels (DRL).

21 CT departments, representing a total of 144 scan protocols, participated in the study. All used multislice CT scanners (mean intallation age 3,2y), equipped with ATC. All adapted technical scan parameters for children: 24% adapted to weight, 47% to age and 29% applied one general protocol for all sizes. Reduced kVp was mainly observed for body protocols (32%), less for head (9%). ATC was only applied in 47% of the protocols, others used fixed tube currents to achieve lower doses. For head protocols a reasonable agreement was observed between measured dose indices and those displayed on the scanner console, for body protocols there was a mean underestimation of the CTDIvol of 42%. For all examinations, observed median doses were significantly below international DRLs; nevertheless for the youngest age group doses between centers varied up to a factor of 15 for the same examination and 10% of individual protocols exceeded DRLs..

Obtained data shows an encouraging trend towards adequate radiation protection management in pediatric CT.

The study investigates the current trend of paediatric CT doses and can be used by international bodies to evaluate the impact of dose awareness campaigns.  

Buls, N, Bosmans, H, Mommaert, C, Malchair, F, De Mey, J, Current Status on Pediatric CT Doses: A Multicentre Study.  Radiological Society of North America 2009 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 29 - December 4, 2009 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2009/8011435.html