title: Indication-based national diagnostic reference levels for paediatric CT: a new approach with proposed values.
abstract: Indication-based national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for a few most common paediatric computed tomography (CT) examinations are proposed. Patient dose data (CTDI vol and dose length product) were collected for over 1000 patients in 4 university hospitals with best experiences in paediatric CT. Four indications for chest CT and two for abdomen (abdomen + pelvis), chest + abdomen and head CT were considered. The DRLs for the body examinations are proposed as exponential DRL-curves, where CTDI vol and dose length product are presented as a function of patient weight. The same DRL curve applies to all the indications studied. The basic 75 % level curve is supplemented by 50 % level curve to enable considerations on varying levels of technology. For head CT, DRLs are proposed for a few age groups (1, 1-5, 5-10 and 10-15 y), separately for routine CT and CT for ventricular size. The proposed DRLs are generally lower than the few published DRLs in other countries.
authors.affiliation: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), PO Box 14, 00881 Helsinki, Finland hannu.jarvinen@stuk.fi.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Järvinen
authors.affiliation: Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seuri
authors.affiliation: Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kortesniemi
authors.affiliation: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), PO Box 14, 00881 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lajunen
authors.affiliation: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), PO Box 14, 00881 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hallinen
authors.affiliation: Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Savikurki-Heikkilä
authors.affiliation: Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Laarne
authors.affiliation: Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perhomaa
authors.affiliation: Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tyrväinen
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D005387:Finland; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*