RADIATION DOSE DETERMINATION IN ABDOMINAL CT EXAMINATIONS OF CHILDREN AT SUDANESE HOSPITALS USING SIZE-SPECIFIC DOSE

Einas H Bashier1, I I Suliman1,2

  • 1Sudan Atomic Energy Commission, Radiation Safety Institute, Khartoum, Sudan.

Insights

This study estimated pediatric radiation exposure from CT scans using size-specific dose estimates (SSDE). Results show doses exceed diagnostic reference levels, highlighting the need for dose optimization in pediatric CT.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Physics
  • Radiology
  • Pediatric Imaging

Background:

  • Computed Tomography (CT) is crucial for pediatric diagnosis.
  • Accurate radiation dose assessment in children is essential for minimizing long-term risks.
  • Traditional dose metrics may not adequately reflect patient-specific exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate radiation exposure in children undergoing multi-detector CT examinations.
  • To compare size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) with conventional dose metrics.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of SSDE in assessing pediatric CT radiation doses.

Main Methods:

  • Collected data from 78 pediatric abdominal CT examinations across six hospitals.
  • Recorded console-displayed volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol).
  • Measured patient diameters and applied size-specific conversion coefficients (per AAPM Report 204) to calculate SSDEtrans and SSDEsco.

Main Results:

  • For children aged 0-1 year, mean CTDIvol was 12.80 ± 16.10 mGy, SSDEtrans was 14.43 ± 13.22 mGy, and SSDEsco was 14.37 ± 13.03 mGy.
  • For children aged 1-5 years, mean CTDIvol was 12.11 ± 14.47 mGy, SSDEtrans was 18.8 ± 18.61 mGy, and SSDEsco was 16.51 ± 13.55 mGy.
  • Calculated doses were higher than established diagnostic reference levels.

Conclusions:

  • Size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) provide a more accurate measure of pediatric radiation exposure from CT scans.
  • Pediatric CT radiation doses in this study exceeded diagnostic reference levels.
  • SSDE is a valuable tool for optimizing radiation dose in pediatric CT, especially considering patient size and tube current modulation.

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