Dose reduction using bismuth shielding during paediatric CT examinations in Slovakia

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiology
• Pediatric Imaging

Background:

• Increasing use of computed tomography (CT) examinations in Slovakia raises concerns about population radiation exposure.
• Children are more susceptible to radiation effects than adults, necessitating dose monitoring in pediatric patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess radiation doses in pediatric patients undergoing CT scans in Slovakia.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of bismuth shielding in reducing eye and thyroid doses during pediatric head CT examinations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an anthropomorphic child phantom for radiation dose measurements.
• Exposed 215 thermoluminescent dosimeters on the phantom with and without bismuth shields.
• Conducted measurements across three selected Slovakian hospital departments.

Main Results:

• Two of the three departments showed a reduction in radiation dose with bismuth shields.
• One department reported a significant dose reduction ranging from 56% to 65% for critical organs.
• Effectiveness of shielding varied between the examined departments.

Conclusions:

• Bismuth shielding is a potentially effective method for reducing radiation dose to the eyes and thyroid in pediatric head CT scans.
• The significant dose reduction observed in one department highlights the importance of implementing and optimizing shielding protocols.
• Further studies are needed to confirm widespread efficacy and establish standardized guidelines for bismuth shielding in pediatric CT.