title: Assessing organ doses from paediatric CT scans--a novel approach for an epidemiology study (the EPI-CT study).
abstract: The increasing worldwide use of paediatric computed tomography (CT) has led to increasing concerns regarding the subsequent effects of exposure to radiation. In response to this concern, the international EPI-CT project was developed to study the risk of cancer in a large multi-country cohort. In radiation epidemiology, accurate estimates of organ-specific doses are essential. In EPI-CT, data collection is split into two time periods--before and after introduction of the Picture Archiving Communication System (PACS) introduced in the 1990s. Prior to PACS, only sparse information about scanner settings is available from radiology departments. Hence, a multi-level approach was developed to retrieve information from a questionnaire, surveys, scientific publications, and expert interviews. For the years after PACS was introduced, scanner settings will be extracted from Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) headers, a protocol for storing medical imaging data. Radiation fields and X-ray interactions within the body will be simulated using phantoms of various ages and Monte-Carlo-based radiation transport calculations. Individual organ doses will be estimated for each child using an accepted calculation strategy, scanner settings, and the radiation transport calculations. Comprehensive analyses of missing and uncertain dosimetry data will be conducted to provide uncertainty distributions of doses.
authors: International Agency for Research on Cancer, 150, Cours Albert Thomas, Lyon 69008, France. thierrychefi@iarc.fr
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Thierry-Chef
authors: Jérémie
authors: J
authors: Dabin
authors: Eva G
authors: EG
authors: Friberg
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Hermen
authors: Tore S
authors: TS
authors: Istad
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Jahnen
authors: Lucian
authors: L
authors: Krille
authors: Choonsik
authors: C
authors: Lee
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Maccia
authors: Arvid
authors: A
authors: Nordenskjöld
authors: Hilde M
authors: HM
authors: Olerud
authors: Kaddour
authors: K
authors: Rani
authors: Jean-Luc
authors: JL
authors: Rehel
authors: Steven L
authors: SL
authors: Simon
authors: Lara
authors: L
authors: Struelens
authors: Ausrele
authors: A
authors: Kesminiene
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult