Paediatric CT optimisation utilising Catphan® 600 and age-specific anthropomorphic phantoms

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiology
• Pediatric Imaging

Background:

• Paediatric computed tomography (CT) protocols vary significantly between institutions.
• Optimisation of CT protocols is crucial for reducing radiation exposure in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimise paediatric CT protocols using phantom-based analysis.
• To quantify the impact of protocol optimisation on radiation dose and image noise.

Main Methods:

• Utilised a Catphan®600 phantom to assess CT dose impact of existing protocols.
• Quantified contrast-noise ratio (CNR) using Radia Diagnostic® tool.
• Applied optimised parameters to anthropomorphic phantoms for noise analysis using OsiriX software.

Main Results:

• Achieved mean dose reductions of 33% for paediatric head CT and 28% for chest CT.
• Optimised protocols resulted in similar or improved contrast-noise ratios compared to standard protocols.
• Image noise levels were comparable to or better than those from currently employed protocols.

Conclusions:

• Phantom-based optimisation effectively reduces radiation dose in paediatric CT.
• Optimised protocols maintain diagnostic image quality while significantly lowering radiation exposure.
• Standardisation of paediatric CT protocols across centres is recommended.