[Dose reduction of radiographs of the pediatric pelvis for diagnosing hip dysplasia using a digital flat-panel detector system].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a possible dose reduction in pediatric pelvic radiographs in congenital hip dysplasia using a digital flat-panel system instead of a phosphor-storage system.


METHODS
During a six-month period, all pediatric patients referred for pelvic radiography for the evaluation of congenital hip dysplasia were randomly assigned to be examined by either a phosphor-storage system or a digital flat-panel system, whereby the latter system was operated with half the radiation dose. Thirty pairs of radiographs were assessed for the visibility of 16 anatomic details and for 5 orthopedic-radiographic measurements (5-point scale with 1 = excellent; three independent observers). The projection indices of Ball and Kommenda and of Tönnis and Brunken were calculated for all radiographs. The Student's t-test was used to compare the flat-panel and the phosphor-storage radiographs for observers' assessments, patients' age and projection indices.


RESULTS
In a total of 7560 observations, the scores for the visibility of anatomic details and orthopedic-radiographic measurements were respectively 2.72 and 2.64 for the flat-panel system and 2.93 and 2.79 for the phosphor-storage system. No significant differences were found between both systems (p > 0.05) and between patient age and projection indices (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatric pelvic radiographs can be obtained with a digital flat-panel system using half the radiation dose instead of a phosphor-storage system without sacrificing relevant information in the diagnosis of congenital hip dysplasia.
Ludwig
K
K
Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany. lud@uni-muenster.de
Ahlers
K
K
Sandmann
C
C
Gosheger
G
G
Kloska
S
S
Vieth
V
V
Meier
N
N
Heindel
W
W
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006618:Hip Dislocation, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*