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Radiation exposure by digital radiographic imaging in very low birth weight infants

Chinedu U Ebenebe1, Christophe Barreau2, Jonathan Waschkewitz3

  • 1Division of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. c.ebenebe@uke.de.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|November 22, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Digital radiography in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) resulted in lower cumulative effective doses (CEDs) for very low birth weight infants. Reduced radiation exposure was linked to fewer X-rays and smaller imaging fields, not just technology type.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Imaging
  • Neonatal Care
  • Radiation Dosimetry

Background:

  • Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) frequently utilize radiographic imaging for diagnosing and monitoring very low birth weight infants.
  • Assessing cumulative effective doses (CEDs) is crucial for understanding radiation exposure in this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the cumulative effective doses (CEDs) from digital radiographic imaging in very low birth weight infants within a tertiary care NICU.
  • To compare radiation doses from digital radiography with those from conventional radiography in neonates.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective calculation of CED for each infant using a voxel-based model.
  • Comparison of calculated CEDs with data from previous studies employing conventional radiography.

Main Results:

  • The study included 206 preterm infants, with a median of four radiographs per neonate.
  • The median CED was 50 µSv, significantly lower than reported for conventional radiography.
  • Factors influencing lower radiation dose included a reduced number of radiographs and smaller field sizes per image.

Conclusions:

  • The number of radiographs per patient and the field size employed have a greater impact on CED than the specific radiographic technology used.
  • Digital radiography, when optimized for image count and field size, can reduce radiation exposure in very low birth weight infants.
Abstract

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