Practical CT dosimetry.
The dose from computed tomography (CT) examinations is not negligible from a radiation safety standpoint. Occasionally, one encounters a case in which an unsuspected pregnant woman undergoes a CT pelvic scan, and the radiologist is required to estimate the dose to the fetus. This article addresses practical methods of CT dosimetry with a specific discussion on fetal dose estimate. Three methods are described: (1) the use of a dose chart, (2) the pencil ionization chamber method, and (3) the thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) method.
Department of Radiology, Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C. 20060.
T T
TT
Yoshizumi
S K
SK
Suneja
J S
JS
Teal
D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration