Optimising whole body computed tomography doses for paediatric trauma patients: a Swiss retrospective analysis

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Pediatric Imaging
• Radiation Safety

Background:

• Major trauma in pediatric patients often necessitates whole-body computed tomography (WBCT).
• Concerns exist regarding cumulative radiation doses in pediatric imaging.
• Optimizing WBCT protocols is crucial for minimizing radiation exposure in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a low-dose WBCT protocol on radiation doses in pediatric major trauma patients.
• To compare effective doses before and after the implementation of a new low-dose protocol.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of pediatric trauma patients (<16 years) over a 6-year period (2014-2019).
• Data collected included demographics, CT device, scan range, dose-length product, and volume CT dose index.
• Effective dose (ED) was calculated and compared between periods before and after protocol introduction.

Main Results:

• The study included 48 pediatric patients who underwent WBCT.
• Prior to the low-dose protocol, the median effective dose was 20.1 mSv.
• After implementing the low-dose protocol, the median effective dose decreased to 2.6 mSv, a 77% reduction (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• A low-dose WBCT protocol can significantly reduce radiation doses in pediatric major trauma patients.
• Implementation of optimized protocols in pediatric trauma centers (PTCs) is effective in lowering radiation exposure.
• This approach enhances radiation safety for pediatric patients undergoing critical imaging.