title: Radiation safety with positron emission tomography and computed tomography.
abstract: Combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) has proven clinical utility, particularly in the diagnosis, staging, and management of cancer. The use of PET/CT has grown substantially in the past few years, with an increasing number of hospitals and imaging centers installing PET/CT systems each year. The combination of 2 procedures, which each imparting a radiation dose and hence the potential for deleterious health effects, creates unique radiation safety issues. This article addresses the radiation safety issues posed by PET/CT with regard to the protection and safety of PET/CT personnel, the public, and adult and pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. catherine.devine@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Catherine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.forename: Osama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mawlawi
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012449:Safety; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18