[Radiation exposure of children in pediatric radiology part 8: radiation doses during thoracoabdominal babygram and abdominal X-ray examination of the newborn and young infants].
OBJECTIVE
Reconstruction of radiation doses for the thoracoabdominal babygram and the abdomen X-ray from radiographic settings and exposure data acquired at Dr. von Hauner's Kinderspital (children's hospital of the University of Munich, DvHK) between 1976 and 2007; comparison of these dose values with values reported in the literature; recommendation of a reference dose value for the thoracoabdominal babygram.


METHODS
The data from all X-ray examinations performed since 1976 at DvHK were stored electronically in a database. After 30 years of data collection, the database now includes 305 107 radiological examinations (radiographs and fluoroscopies), especially 1493 thoracoabdominal babygrams and 3632 abdomen X-rays of newborns and young infants. With the computer program PADOS, a specific dose reconstruction algorithm was developed.


RESULTS
The entrance dose values of thoracoabdominal babygrams and abdomen X-rays in DvHK could be reduced in the last 30 years by a factor of 5 to 8. They are far below the entrance dose values reported by other radiology departments in Europe. Nevertheless, a slight increase in the entrance doses that correlates with the introduction of a digital storage phosphor system could be observed in the last years.


CONCLUSIONS
Because nearly all radiosensitive body organs in early life are involved during a thoracoabdominal babygram and because of the high radiation sensitivity of newborns, thoracoabdominal babygrams should be performed in neonatology with caution. A dose value of 1.0 cGy cm(2) could serve as the actual reference dose value for the thoracoabdominal babygram of the newborn.
Schneider
K
K
Abteilung Radiologie, Dr. von Haunersches Kinderspital, Klinikum der Universität München, München. Karl.schneider@med.unimuenchen.de
Seidenbusch
M C
MC
D000005:Abdomen / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001822:Body Burden; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D013909:Thorax / Q000528:radiation effects*