SWALLOWING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY: DOSE ESTIMATION IN A PHANTOM STUDY CONDUCTED AT VARIOUS PATIENT RECLINING ANGLES

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiology
• Swallowing Disorders

Background:

• Swallowing computed tomography (SCT) is emerging for swallowing analysis.
• Optimal scan protocols for SCT are currently lacking.
• Patient radiation dose is a critical consideration in SCT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate patient radiation dose at different reclining positions during SCT.
• To identify optimal scanning parameters for minimizing dose in SCT.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a RANDO phantom with thermoluminescent dosimeters.
• Simulated semi-reclining positions (45°, 55°, 65°) at center and off-center locations.
• Acquired scanograms following predetermined protocols to measure effective dose.

Main Results:

• The lowest effective dose (3.8 mSv) was observed at a 45° center reclining position.
• Off-center positions resulted in higher doses (4.6 mSv at 55°, 6.8 mSv at 65°) compared to center positions.
• Center positions yielded lower doses (4.5 mSv at 55°, 5.8 mSv at 65°) than off-center positions.

Conclusions:

• The 45° center reclining position is recommended for minimizing patient dose in SCT.
• Off-center scanning positions significantly increase radiation exposure and should be avoided.
• SCT protocols require revision to incorporate dose-optimization strategies based on patient position.