title: Analysis of radiation dose to pediatric patients during computed tomography examinations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computed tomography (CT) utilization has increased rapidly over the past 15 years. CT is the most common source for radiation exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to measure the effective dose of radiation delivered during routine head and abdominal CT examinations at a children's hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of emergency department (ED) patients < 20 years of age who underwent head or abdominal CT scans in 2012 at a single children's hospital. The authors abstracted the dose-length product from the CT scanners and calculated the effective radiation dose delivered. Patient demographics were abstracted from the medical record. The relationship between effective dose and age, patient weight, and reason for examination were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 478 subjects were included: 255 underwent head CT, and 223 underwent abdominal CT. The median age was 8.1 years (interquartile range = 2.71 to 14.40 years) and 56.9% were male. The median effective dose for head CT was 2.68 mSv (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.54 to 2.84 mSv) and decreased as age increased. For abdominal CT, the median effective dose was 5.06 mSv (95% CI = 4.58 to 6.03 mSv) and increased as age increased (3.67 to 11.12 mSv, p < 0.001). For abdominal CT, 8% of 5- to 10-year-olds, 28% of those 10 to 15 years, and 60% of patients over age 15 years received effective doses over 10 mSv.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The amount of radiation delivered to pediatric patients during routine CT examinations of the head and abdomen was low. Regardless, a large proportion of older patients were exposed to elevated effective doses of radiation during abdominal CT.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Anupam B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Kharbanda
authors.affiliation: The Department of Research and Sponsored Programs, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.affiliation: The Department of Research and Sponsored Programs, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: The Department of Radiology, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blumberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*