title: Effective dose estimation in whole-body multislice CT in paediatric trauma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of multislice CT (MSCT) scans performed in polytraumatized children has increased rapidly. There is growing concern regarding the radiation dose in MSCT and its long-term consequences, especially in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effective dose to polytraumatized children who undergo whole-body MSCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 51 traumatized children aged 0-16 years underwent a polytrauma protocol CT scan between November 2004 and August 2006 at our institution. The effective dose was calculated retrospectively by a computer program (CT-Expo 1.5, Hannover, Germany).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean effective dose was 20.8 mSv (range 8.6-48.9 mSv, SD +/- 7.9 mSv). There was no statistically significant difference in the effective dose between male and female patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whole-body MSCT is a superior diagnostic tool in polytraumatized children with 20.8 mSv per patient being a justified mean effective dose. In a potentially life-threatening situation whole-body MSCT provides the clinicians with relevant information to initiate life-saving therapy. Radiologists should use special paediatric protocols that include dose-saving mechanisms to keep the effective dose as low as possible. Further studies are needed to examine and advance dose-saving strategies in MSCT, especially in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Hugstetter Str. 49, 79095, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. robin.munk@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Robin D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Munk
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Strohm
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Saueressig
authors.forename: Joern
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zwingmann
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uhl
authors.forename: Norbert P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Südkamp
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kotter
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Thorsten A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D051598:Whole Body Imaging