title: Results from a phantom based multi-centre paediatric computed tomography dose survey.
abstract: A computed tomography radiation dose survey was performed within our enterprise using three age-based paediatric phantoms representing a 1, 5 and 10 years old. Twenty-seven scanners were surveyed with volume computed tomography dose index and dose length product data collected for head, chest and abdomen-pelvis protocols at each age. Reconstruction method e.g. filtered back projection (FBP) or iterative (IR) was also recorded. About two-thirds of the 1 year old FBP chest scans exceeded the national Baby diagnostic reference level (DRL). A small number of scanners also exceeded the national Child DRL for the 1 and 5 years old phantoms. Only about half of the phantom protocols showed a difference of statistical significance between FBP and IR scanners. The results suggested the need for optimisation work at a number of sites. It was determined that the proposed local (i.e. enterprise-wide) DRLs are presented best in terms of weight or girth rather than age.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Technology Services, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD, Australia. david.thiele@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Thiele
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Technology Services, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah-Ellyana
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Aliuddin
authors.affiliation: Australasian College and Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine, Mascot, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Technology Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: McGill
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019992:Databases as Topic; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Computed tomography; Paediatric local diagnostic reference levels; Paediatric radiation dose survey