Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2020
Keywords:
Performed at one institution, Not applicable, Obstetrics, Foetus, Radiation safety, Radiation effects, Health policy and practice, MR, Digital radiography, CT, Radiation physics, Paediatric, Obstetrics (Pregnancy / birth / postnatal period), Action 7 - Radiation protection of children
Authors:
A. Hojreh, M. Duenkelmeyer, C. J. Herold, H. Prosch
DOI:
10.26044/esi2020/ESI-09691
Conclusion and recommendations
After considering the effectiveness, the benefits, and the risks of the available alternative methods that carry no or less radiation exposure and strictly verifying the justification of an x-ray examination of a (probably) pregnant woman by clinicians and radiologists (double justification), the patient should be advised about the likely biological radiation effects to reduce anxiety. She should also be advised about the influence of iodine-based contrast media on the thyroid gland of the unborn child and the necessity for the child's postnatal thyroid function analysis. But, in emergencies, the patient’s life has a higher priority than the radiation protection of the unborn child.
After the x-ray examination, the exposure parameters (kV, mAs, CT dose index (CTDI), Dose length product, (DLP)) [28], the name and concentration of the iodine-based contrast media, and the applied volume of the contrast media must be documented for mother-child pass and in the radiology report, in which the child’s postnatal thyroid function analysis should be clearly recognizable [27].