Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
X-ray Dose Reduction through Adaptive Exposure in Fluoroscopic Imaging
Published on: September 11, 2011
Bismuth breast and thyroid shield implementation for pediatric CT
Melinda Dobbs1, Renee Ahmed, L Ellen Patrick
1Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, GA, USA. Melinda.Dobbs@choa.org
Insights
Pediatric patients are highly susceptible to radiation-induced cancer. Bismuth shielding in CT scans significantly reduces radiation dose to sensitive areas in children without impacting image quality, enhancing patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Pediatric Radiology
- Radiation Oncology
Background:
- Infants and children exhibit a significantly higher susceptibility to radiation-induced carcinogenesis compared to adults.
- Pediatric patients require specialized radiation protection measures during medical imaging procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of bismuth shielding in reducing radiation dose to sensitive areas in pediatric patients undergoing CT examinations.
- To assess the impact of bismuth shielding on image quality in pediatric CT scans.
- To highlight the importance of staff education in the successful implementation of radiation protection strategies.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of bismuth breast and thyroid shields for all pediatric patients undergoing CT examinations.
- Comprehensive staff education program on the benefits and application of bismuth shielding.
- Assessment of radiation dose reduction and image quality preservation.
Main Results:
- Bismuth shields effectively decrease radiation dose to sensitive areas (breast, thyroid) in pediatric patients.
- No compromise in diagnostic image quality was observed with the use of bismuth shielding.
- Staff education was crucial for program adoption and sustained use of shielding.
Conclusions:
- Bismuth shielding is a safe and effective method for reducing radiation exposure in pediatric CT examinations.
- The integration of bismuth shielding programs requires dedicated staff training and institutional support.
- Financial considerations, such as grant funding, are important for the widespread adoption of such protective measures in healthcare settings.
Abstract:
Studies have indicated that infants and children are as much as ten times more susceptible to carcinogenesis from radiation than adults. Because data show bismuth breast and thyroid shields decrease radiation dose to sensitive areas without changes in image quality, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta implemented the use of bismuth shields in all patients undergoing CTexaminations. Staff education regarding the use of bismuth shielding was key to the success of this program.Their understanding of the benefits would ultimately assist in their support of shield use in the CT department. This program was made possible through a grant from the AHRA & Toshiba Putting Patients First Program. Otherwise, the cost of bismuth shielding would be supported by the operating budget of the organization and, with the decline in CT volume reported at many healthcare institutions,this cost may be too high for many hospitals.
