Operational and Dosimetric Aspects of Pediatric PET/CT

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Pediatric Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Pediatric PET/CT protocols lack standardization, leading to inconsistent radiation exposure.
• Children are particularly vulnerable to ionizing radiation, necessitating optimized imaging techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe CT dosimetry and PET/CT acquisition basics in pediatric patients.
• To highlight the variability in current pediatric PET/CT practices.
• To introduce a novel multiseries acquisition technique for dose reduction.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 19 North American pediatric PET/CT institutions to assess current practices.
• Description of a multiseries PET/CT acquisition combining diagnostic and low-dose CT protocols.
• Analysis of CT dosimetry and radiation exposure in pediatric imaging.

Main Results:

• Significant variability (2-3 fold) in pediatric PET/CT techniques observed across institutions, despite use of automatic tube current modulation.
• Introduction of a multiseries technique that integrates diagnostic CT in essential areas with low-dose CT for the remainder.
• Demonstrated potential for radiation dose reduction while maintaining diagnostic image quality.

Conclusions:

• Standardization of pediatric PET/CT acquisition is needed to ensure consistent, safe, and effective imaging.
• The proposed multiseries approach offers a promising method for reducing radiation dose in pediatric patients.
• Optimized pediatric PET/CT protocols can improve patient safety without compromising diagnostic accuracy.