[Diagnostic imaging in polytrauma: comparison of radiation exposure from whole-body MSCT and conventional radiography with organ-specific CT].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the radiation dose of whole-body multislice CT (MSCT) and conventional radiography with organ-specific CT in polytrauma.


METHODS
The whole-body MSCT encompassing brain, neck and midface, chest, abdomen and pelvis was performed on a Somatom Volume Zoom (Siemens). Conventional radiography consisted of chest and cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine in two views as well as pelvis (Polymat, Siemens). Three combinations of organ specific CT were chosen: CT examination of (1) head and cervical spine, (2) head, cervical spine and chest, (3) head, cervical spine and abdomen. The effective doses of whole-body MSCT and conventional radiography with organ-specific CT were calculated.


RESULTS
Effective doses were 20 mSv for whole-body MSCT, 2 mSv for conventional x-ray, and 5 mSv for combination (1), 8 mSv for combination (2) and (3) 16 mSv for combination (3) of the organ-specific CT. The ratio of radiation dose between whole-body MSCT and radiography was 10 : 1. This ratio was reduced to 3 : 1, 2 : 1 and 1 : 1 when a combination of radiography and CT was performed.


CONCLUSIONS
Whole-body MSCT in polytrauma compared to conventional radiography with organ-specific CT induces a threefold increased dose in unfavorable situations and no increased dose in favorable situations. Nevertheless, routine use of whole-body MSCT should be critically evaluated and should be adapted to the clinical benefit.
Wedegärtner
U
U
Klinik und Poliklinik für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf. wedegaer@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Lorenzen
M
M
Nagel
H D
HD
Weber
C
C
Adam
G
G
D006801:Humans; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*