Paediatric CT dose optimization in a general hospital

Congress:

EuroSafe Imaging 2019

Poster Number:

ESI-0038

Type:

EuroSafe Imaging

Keywords:

Action 7 - Radiation protection of children, Action 2 - Clinical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), Paediatric, CT, Physics, Dosimetry, Dosimetric comparison

Authors:

D. Yanikian Nersissian, H. Leao Filho, C. S. Melo, V. Heidorne Guerra, R. Gonçalves Freitas, M. V. Y. Sawamura, E. M. M. S. GEBRIM, P. R. Costa

DOI:

10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0038

DOI-Link:

https://dx.doi.org/10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0038

Fig. 1: Flow chart relating the steps conducted for the optimization process of...

Fig. 2: Adapted screens of the CT equipment considering the specific paediatric...

Fig. 3: Comparative results of the optimized and non-optimizes CTDI resulting for the...

Fig. 4: Comparative results of the optimized and non-optimizes CTDI resulting for the...

Background/introduction

According to the publication HHS 24 - Dosimetry in Diagnostic Radiology for Pediatric Patients - dosimetry for pediatric patients undergoing diagnostic radiology procedures requires special consideration in addition to the dosimetry methods used for adult patients. The importance of dosimetry for this group of patients is more delicated than for adults given their: longer life expectancy, greater risk of radiation due to relative radiosensitivity of various body tissues that vary according to sex and age, collection and analysis of data for these patients are complex,...

Description of activity and work performed

This work was focused on protocol optimization Head and Thorax exams, primarily. The first strategy was comparing the configuration of these protocols with the suggested by American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM) in the Alliance for Quality Computed Tomography for routine pediatric Chest CT and Head CT. Initially, one CT equipment (Philips – Brilliance 64) of the facility was prioritized. Figure 1 shows a flow chart relating the steps conducted for the optimization process of paediatric chest and head CT by the Brazilian participant....

Conclusion and recommendations

The first results have presented the dose reductions without perceptive loss in image quality of these two general exams. Just for Head and Neck exam was observed a degradation in the detail structures by the responsible radiologist. The medical physicist contacted the radiographer to made the necessary changes in this protocol. A preliminary global view of the effects of the optimization process is shown in Figure 3 and 4 for head and thorax CT, respectively, showing the comparative results for CTDIvol quantity for each age...

Personal/organisational information

D. Yanikian Nersissian1, H. Leao2, C. S. Melo1, V. Heidorne Guerra1, R. Gonçalves Freitas3, M. V. Y. Sawamura2, E. M. M. S. Gebrim2, P. R. Costa1 1Instituto de Física – Universidade de São Paulo (IF/USP) 2Instituto de Radiologia – Hospital das Clínicas – Faculdade de Medicina (INRAD/HC/FM/USP) 3 Faculdade de Medicina (FM/USP)

References

IAEA - HHS 24 - Dosimetry in Diagnostic Radiology for Pediatric Patients, Viena, 2014