Organ doses from CT examinations in children

• Published in: Journal de radiologie Vol. 86; no. 5 Pt 1; p. 487
• Main Authors: Mabille, M, Beauvais-March, H, Rehel, J L, Kalifa, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01.05.2005
• Subjects: Bone Marrow - radiation effects; Breast - radiation effects; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Ovary - radiation effects; Pelvis - diagnostic imaging; Phantoms, Imaging; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Effects; Radiation Protection - methods; Radiography, Abdominal; Radiography, Thoracic; Spine - diagnostic imaging; Sternum - radiation effects; Testis - radiation effects; Thoracic Vertebrae - radiation effects; Thyroid Gland - radiation effects; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0221-0363
• DOI: 10.1016/S0221-0363(05)81394-0

To estimate radiation doses from routine pediatric CT scans (body) and to propose dose reduction protocols. [corrected] Study performed with a phantom equivalent to the body of 5 year old child with evaluation of doses delivered to breast, gonads, bone marrow (sternum, T12) and thyroid for CT examinations of the chest, abdomen, pelvis and spine. Extrapolation is made to estimate the doses for 1 year old and 10 year old children. Finally, dose reduction protocols are evaluated. CT of the chest delivers significant doses to breast tissue and bone marrow, CT of the abdomen and pelvis delivers significant doses to the ovaries and CT pf the spine delivers significant doses to thyroid and bone marrow. Optimization can be achieved without degradation of the image quality, by reducing Kv and mAs within reasonable limits. This study may be used in order to evaluate the doses delivered by multi-detector CT units.