title: Cumulative doses analysis in young trauma patients: a single-centre experience.
abstract: Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) represents the main source of radiation exposure in trauma patients. The radiation exposure of young patients is a matter of considerable medical concern due to possible long-term effects. Multiple MDCT studies have been observed in the young trauma population with an increase in radiation exposure. We have identified 249 young adult patients (178 men and 71 women; age range 14-40 years) who had received more than one MDCT study between June 2010 and June 2014. According to the International Commission on Radiological Protection publication, we have calculated the cumulative organ dose tissue-weighting factors by using CT-EXPO software(®). We have observed a mean cumulative dose of about 27 mSv (range from 3 to 297 mSv). The distribution analysis is characterised by low effective dose, below 20 mSv, in the majority of the patients. However, in 29 patients, the effective dose was found to be higher than 20 mSv. Dose distribution for the various organs analysed (breasts, ovaries, testicles, heart and eye lenses) shows an intense peak for lower doses, but in some cases high doses were recorded. Even though cumulative doses may have long-term effects, which are still under debate, high doses are observed in this specific group of young patients.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy. ssalerno@sirm.org.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e chimica, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 17, 90128, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marrale
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geraci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lo Re
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Casto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche, Policlinico Università di Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midiri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adsorbed dose; Cumulative doses; Effective dose; MDCT; Tissue-weighting factors