Study for pediatric protocol optimization in chest CT scan

Abstract

Radiological exams are increasingly used in clinic for diagnostic analysis of different types of pathologies. These exams are associated with a dose that is received by the patient. In addition, the risks in exposure to ionizing radiation are different according to the group which the individual belongs. According to age, the group of children is more radiosensitive than adults. In this work we have obtained values of the air-weighted kerma index for chest scans studies in a General Electric Computed Tomography (CT) scanner model Discovery with 64-channels. Using an adult protocol, two scans have been performed, one using a cylinder standard PMMA phantom while the second one has used an oblong chest phantom designed for a two year old pediatric patient. Furthermore, other protocols have been selected with a constant voltage but changing the X-ray tube current and maintaining the image quality in order to obtain a reduction in the received dose by the pediatric patient. The use of the adult protocol in the child phantom has an air-weighted kerma index of 89.5% greater than the kerma index using the adult phantom. Due small patients receive higher doses; the use of specific protocols for children is important for the dose reduction in CT tests. An optimized pediatric chest protocol is presented, obtaining as a result dose reduction compared with the adult protocol of 62.2%. Because of different CT scanners characteristics and in order to optimize protocols regard to dose and diagnostic image quality, it is necessary to use pediatric phantoms in health centers.