[Radiation exposure from nuclear medicine studies in children]

Nuclear medical examinations of children have to be performed with special regard to the problems of radiation protection because of the high radiation sensitivity esp. of infants and young children. The present contribution describes how any unnecessary radiation exposure can be avoided by the correct choice and planning of a nuclear medical study, by using the appropriate radiopharmaceutical as well as by the exact calculation of the amount of activity applied, depending on body surface resp. body weight of the child. A technically optimized method which employs the best technical equipment and personnel, being specially trained for working with children, are important conditions to achieve optimal results of nuclear medical tests. Due to the difficulties of direct dose measurements, large variations in the biokinetic behaviour of radiopharmaceuticals and the restriction to standard phantoms, individual dose calculations or dose estimations in pediatrics cause great problems. This is reflected by often large variations of dosimetrical data given in the literature.