title: Radiation exposure from head computed tomography scans in pediatric trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have previously reported that children receive significantly less radiation exposure after abdominal and/or pelvis computed tomography (CT) scanning for acute appendicitis when performed at our children's hospital (CH) rather than at outside hospitals (OH). In this study, we compare the amount of radiation children receive from head CTs for trauma done at OH versus those at our CH.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review was performed on all children transferred to our hospital after receiving a head CT for trauma at an OH between July 2012 and December 2012. These children were then blindly case matched based on date, age, and gender to children at our CH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 50 children who underwent head CT scans for trauma at 28 OH. There were 21 females and 29 males in each group. Average age was 7.01 ± 0.5 y at the OH and 7.14 ± 6.07 at our CH (P = 0.92). Average weight was 30.81 ± 4.69 kg at the OH and 32.69 ± 27.21 kg at our CH (P = 0.81). Radiation measures included dose length product (671.21 ± 22.6 mGycm at OH versus 786.28 ± 246.3 mGycm at CH, P = 0.11) and CT dose index (53.4 ± 2.26 mGy at OH versus 49.2 ± 12.94 mGy at CH, P = 0.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no significant difference between radiation exposure secondary to head CTs for traumatic injuries performed at OH and those at a dedicated CH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Nicole E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska.
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Svetanoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Amita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alemayehu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Maneesha U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Raghavan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Susan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Douglas C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rivard
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
authors.forename: Shawn D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: St Peter
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri. Electronic address: gholcomb@cmh.edu.
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Holcomb
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D014193:Trauma Centers
keywords: Computed tomography (CT); Head trauma; Pediatric; Radiation exposure