title: Single-phase Whole-body 64-MDCT Split-bolus Protocol for Pediatric Oncology: Diagnostic Efficacy and Dose Radiation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the image quality and the diagnostic efficacy by single-phase whole-body 64-slice multidetector CT (MDCT) for pediatric oncology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chest-abdomen-pelvis CT examinations with single-phase split-bolus technique were evaluated for T: detection and delineation of primary tumor (assessment of the extent of the lesion to neighboring tissues), N: regional lymph nodes and M: distant metastasis. Quality scores (5-point scale) were assessed by two radiologists on parenchymal and vascular enhancement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Accurate TNM staging in term of detection and delineation of primary tumor, regional lymph nodes and distant metastasis was obtained in all cases. On the image quality and severity artifact, the Kappa value for the interobserver agreement measure obtained from the analysis was 0.754, (p<0.001), characterizing a very good agreement between observers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-pass total body CT split-bolus technique reached the highest overall image quality and an accurate TNM staging in pediatric patients with cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Radiology 2, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia University, Perugia, Italy michelescialpi@libero.it michelscialpi1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scialpi
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiavone
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Radiotherapy, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia University, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Andrea
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, San Giuseppe Moscati Hospital, Aversa, Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Palumbo
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Medicine, Division of Radiology, Santa Maria Hospital, Borgo Val di Taro, Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magli
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Radiology 2, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia University, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gravante
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Radiology 2, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia University, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Filippi
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manganaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Perugia University, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Palumbo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Pediatric tumors; helical computed tomography (CT); multidetector-row CT (MDCT); radiation dose; split-bolus technique