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Patient Preparation and Performance of PET/CT Scans in Pediatric Patients
Michael J Gelfand1, Susan E Sharp1
1Nuclear Medicine Section, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MLC 5031, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0761, USA.
Insights
Pediatric PET and PET/CT imaging requires specialized protocols to ensure quality and minimize radiation exposure. Adapting adult techniques and addressing motion and brown adipose tissue are crucial for accurate results in children.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Pediatric Radiology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Standard adult protocols may yield suboptimal results in pediatric patients undergoing PET and PET/CT.
- Children are more sensitive to radiation, necessitating dose reduction strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline essential considerations for high-quality pediatric PET and PET/CT imaging.
- To emphasize the importance of tailored protocols and radiation dose optimization in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing weight-based protocols for administering [F-18]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG).
- Adjusting CT parameters to pediatric-specific levels, including low-dose settings when appropriate.
- Implementing measures to mitigate common pediatric challenges like patient motion and brown adipose tissue uptake.
Main Results:
- Tailored pediatric protocols improve image quality compared to adapted adult methods.
- Reduced administered activity and optimized CT parameters effectively lower radiation doses.
- Specific techniques can minimize artifacts from patient motion and brown adipose tissue.
Conclusions:
- Adherence to specific pediatric protocols is vital for accurate PET and PET/CT imaging in children.
- Radiation dose reduction is a critical aspect of pediatric imaging, achievable through protocol adjustments.
- Addressing pediatric-specific complicating factors enhances diagnostic reliability.
Abstract:
Appropriate patient preparation is necessary for high-quality PET and PET/CT imaging in children and adolescents. Standard adult protocols and techniques will sometimes give suboptimal results, so attention to specific pediatric protocols is important. Additionally, attempts should be made to limit radiation doses, as pediatric patients are more sensitive to the effects of radiation. Administered [F-18]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose activities may be reduced using weight based protocols, and CT parameters should be reduced to appropriate pediatric levels, with low-dose localization settings used when diagnostic-quality CT images are not needed. Complicating factors, such as patient motion and brown adipose-tissue uptake, are more commonly encountered in pediatric patients, and appropriate measures should be taken to limit their impact on imaging.
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