Pediatric nuclear medicine and radiation dose.
Nuclear medicine is a unique and valuable method that contributes to the diagnosis and assessment of many diseases in children. Radiation exposures in children undergoing diagnostic nuclear medicine studies are low. Although in the past there has been a rather large variation of pediatric radiopharmaceutical administered activities, adhering to recent standards for pediatric radiopharmaceutical administered doses can help assure that the lowest administered activity are employed and that the diagnostic value of the studies is preserved. Radiation exposures in children can be reduced further by optimizing routine protocols, application of advanced image processing and potentially with the use of advanced imaging systems.
Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Brigham and Women׳s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Boston Children׳s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Electronic address: streves@partners.org.
S Ted
ST
Treves
Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Boston Children׳s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Anthony E
AE
Falone
Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Boston Children׳s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Frederic H
FH
Fahey
D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000009:adverse effects; D012306:Risk
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals