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Multi-institutional Protocol Guidance for Pediatric Photon-counting CT
Kelly K Horst1, Joseph Y Cao1, Cynthia H McCollough1
1From the Department of Radiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 (K.K.H., C.H.M., L.Y.); Department of Radiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (J.Y.C., D.P.F., S.B.); Department of Radiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY (A.E.A.); Edward Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo (M.J.S.); and Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Malvern, Pa (J.C.R.G., T.O.).
Insights
Photon-counting detector (PCD) CT offers improved image quality and reduced radiation dose for pediatric patients. This review provides essential protocol guidance for implementing PCD CT in pediatric imaging.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Radiology
- Pediatric Imaging
Background:
- Pediatric CT imaging presents unique challenges including motion, small anatomy, and radiation risks.
- Conventional CT technology has limitations in dose reduction and image quality for children.
- Photon-counting detector (PCD) CT represents a significant technological advancement over energy-integrating detector CT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide protocol guidance for pediatric CT using photon-counting detector (PCD) CT technology.
- To highlight the benefits of PCD CT for pediatric imaging, including dose reduction and enhanced resolution.
- To share multi-institutional clinical and research experience in PCD CT for pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of technical aspects and principles of PCD CT relevant to pediatric protocol development.
- Synthesis of clinical and research experience from pediatric radiologists and medical physicists.
- Focus on practical guidance for implementing PCD CT in pediatric imaging workflows.
Main Results:
- PCD CT enables decreased radiation dose and noise compared to conventional CT.
- PCD CT offers increased spatial and contrast resolution in pediatric imaging.
- Protocol optimization is crucial to leverage PCD CT benefits for children.
Conclusions:
- PCD CT technology holds significant promise for improving the safety and efficacy of pediatric CT scans.
- Developing specific protocols is key to realizing the full potential of PCD CT in pediatric radiology.
- This guidance aims to facilitate the adoption and effective use of PCD CT in pediatric imaging.
Abstract:
Performing CT in children comes with unique challenges such as greater degrees of patient motion, smaller and densely packed anatomy, and potential risks of radiation exposure. The technical advancements of photon-counting detector (PCD) CT enable decreased radiation dose and noise, as well as increased spatial and contrast resolution across all ages, compared with conventional energy-integrating detector CT. It is therefore valuable to review the relevant technical aspects and principles specific to protocol development on the new PCD CT platform to realize the potential benefits for this population. The purpose of this article, based on multi-institutional clinical and research experience from pediatric radiologists and medical physicists, is to provide protocol guidance for use of PCD CT in the imaging of pediatric patients.
