Abstract
Purpose
Concerns abound regarding the radiation dose administered to children during trauma
evaluations. It is important to minimize the radiation dose administered when a computed
tomographic (CT) scan is performed. This study was carried out to determine the radiation
dose delivered during trauma abdominal/pelvic CT scans performed in community hospitals.
Methods
Data on consecutive children transferred after abdominal/pelvic CT scan for trauma
were reviewed. Dose information was retrieved directly from reports provided, or the
hospital was contacted directly, and an age-standardized dose ratio was generated.
Results
One hundred eighty-six patients were identified, and 36 patients were excluded, leaving
150 patients from 40 different hospitals. Half received radiation doses that were
less than the national 75th percentile norm, and half received radiation doses that
were greater, overall ranging from 0.17 to 5.07 times.
Conclusions
Radiation exposure is a concern among those who evaluate injured children. Although
not performing a CT scan may be the best way to reduce the dose, when a CT scan is
deemed necessary, the scanner must be adjusted to the lowest possible settings necessary
to obtain the information desired. This study identified a thirty-times range of radiation
dosage for CT scans performed across 40 different hospitals.
Key words
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References
http://www.acr.org/SecondaryMainMenuCategories/quality_safety/RadSafety/RadiationSafety/guideline-diagnostic-reference.aspx, accessed August, 2011.
- Size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) in pediatric and adult body CT examinations, report of American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group 2044. American Association of Physicists in Medicine, College Park (Md)2011
National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. http://www.ncrponline.org/. Accessed August 3, 2011.
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- Computerized tomography-an increasing source of radiation exposure.NEJM. 2007; 357: 2277-2284
http://www.pedrad.org/associations/5364/ig/, accessed August, 2011.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 6,
2012
Received:
February 25,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
