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DEVELOPMENT OF A JAPANESE INFANT HEAD-CHEST PHANTOM AND INVESTIGATION OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF INFANT HEAD CT
C Yamauchi-Kawaura1, K Fujii1, M Yamauchi2
1Department of Radiological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 1-1-20 Daikominami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan.
Insights
This study developed a pediatric head-chest phantom to assess infant computed tomography (CT) radiation doses in Japan. While brain and lens doses were comparable, adjacent organs like salivary and thyroid glands received significantly higher doses.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiological Sciences
- Pediatric Imaging
Background:
- Computed tomography (CT) is crucial for pediatric diagnostics.
- Accurate radiation dose assessment in infants is essential for minimizing long-term risks.
- Existing pediatric phantoms may not fully represent current Japanese infant anatomy and scanning practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a realistic head-chest phantom for a 0.5-year-old Japanese child.
- To measure organ doses during infant head CT examinations in Japan.
- To compare current doses with previous findings and identify factors influencing dose variations.
Main Methods:
- A head-chest phantom was manufactured to simulate a Japanese 0.5-year-old child's physique.
- Radiophotoluminescence glass dosemeters were incorporated for precise dose measurements.
- Organ doses were quantified across seven distinct head CT protocols in three Japanese hospitals.
Main Results:
- Average doses to the brain and lens within the scan region were consistent with prior infant phantom studies.
- Doses to salivary glands and thyroid glands, adjacent to the scan area, were 1.4-1.8 times higher than previously reported.
- Increased scan areas and the shift from non-helical to helical scanning modes may explain these elevated adjacent organ doses.
Conclusions:
- The developed phantom provides a valuable tool for assessing pediatric CT doses.
- Current infant head CT practices in Japan may lead to increased exposure for organs outside the primary target area.
- Further investigation into scan protocols is warranted to optimize radiation safety in pediatric CT.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to develop a head-chest phantom that could mimic the physique of a Japanese 0.5-year-old child and to investigate the current status of exposure dose in infant head computed tomography examinations in Japan. The phantom was produced by machine processing, and radiophotoluminescence glass dosemeters were installed in the phantom for dose measurement. Organ doses were measured for seven different head scan protocols routinely used in three hospitals. In this study, the average dose of the brain and lens within the scan region was equivalent to that measured using infant phantoms in previous studies. In contrast, the doses of both salivary glands and thyroid glands adjacent to the scan region were 1.4-1.8 times higher than those in previous studies. Expansion of the scan area accompanied by a transition of the scan mode from non-helical to helical may have resulted in the differences in organ doses.
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