Theradiation dose a patient receives in CT imaging is mainly determined by the used tube current and tube voltage, and dose optimisation requires an ideal relationship between these two while keeping in mind technical limitations.[1] In the era of multidetector CT imaging, Automated Exposure Control (AEC) became one of the most important tools in dose reduction. This technique adapts the tube current to the size of the patient. However, using lower tube currents inevitably leads to an increase in noise.[2] In Siemens' CT scanners multiple...

All imaging data of patients under the age of 16 years which were scanned on an abdominal protocol in 2016 in the Leuven University Hospital were gathered. All scans were taken on one of two available Siemens Somatom Definition Flash-scanners (Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany). Gathered data included the used tube current (mA), the used reference tube voltage (kV), the Volume Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIvol), patients' length and weight and clinical indication. A difference is made between child scan protocols versus adult scan protocols, and...

Tube current modulation in abdominal CT imaging of pediatric patients does not always guarantee a good dose - image quality relationship. Automated exposure control and tube current modulation do indeed lower radiation doses very adequately in pediatric CT-imaging of the abdomen: radiation doses strongly correlated with weight and all radiation doses were in line with the recommended Dose Reference Levels. However, image quality was not always maintained when weak tube current settings were used and image quality showed a moderate correlation with radiation doses. Therefore,...

H. F. L. Verelst; Roeselare/BE - nothing to disclose H. Bosmans; Leuven/BE - Board Member at Qaelum NV M. Aertsen; Leuven/BE - nothing to disclose

1.Lira D, Padole A, Kalra MK, Singh S. Tube Potential and CT Radiation Dose Optimization.Am J Roentgenol [Internet]. 2014 Dec 24;204(1):W4–10. Available from:https://doi.org/10.2214/AJR.14.13281 2. Lee CH, Goo JM, Ye HJ, Ye S-J, Park CM, Chun EJ, et al. Radiation Dose ModulationTechniques in the Multidetector CT Era: From Basics to Practice. RadioGraphics [Internet].2008 Sep 1;28(5):1451–9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.285075075 3.D. MR, L. KP, J. CM. Size‐based protocol optimization using automatic tube currentmodulation and automatic kV selection in computed tomography. J Appl Clin Med Phys[Internet]. 2016 Jan 8;17(1):328–41....