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Radiation Exposure in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Patients: How Much Is Too Much?

Yamini S Kapileshwarkar1, Laura T Smith2, Susan M Szpunar2

  • 11 Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA.

Clinical Pediatrics
|July 12, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients can receive high radiation exposure, with 11.7% exceeding 6.2 mSv. Trauma, surgery, CT scans, and longer stays increase this risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric intensive care
  • Medical imaging
  • Radiation safety

Background:

  • Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients undergo numerous radiologic studies.
  • Cumulative radiation exposure in this vulnerable population requires careful assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine median cumulative radiation exposure in PICU patients.
  • To identify the proportion of patients with high radiation exposure (>6.2 mSv).
  • To determine risk factors associated with high radiation exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of PICU patients (≤18 years) over 2 years.
  • Analysis of radiologic studies and radiation exposure data.
  • Classification of total hospital radiation exposure as high (>6.2 mSv) or not (≤6.2 mSv).

Main Results:

  • Median radiation exposure was 0.2 mSv (IQR=2.1).
  • 11.7% of patients exceeded 6.2 mSv cumulative radiation exposure.
  • High exposure was linked to trauma/surgery admission, CT scan volume, age, and PICU length of stay (P < .0001).

Conclusions:

  • Subsets of PICU patients face a significant risk of high cumulative radiation exposure.
  • Factors such as trauma, surgery, advanced age, and extended PICU stays are associated with increased exposure.
  • Implementing policies and protocols is crucial for minimizing radiation exposure in PICU patients.

Keywords:
PICUchildrenpediatric intensive care unitradiationradiation exposure

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