Abstract
Objective: To present the results following a UK national patient dose audit of paediatric CT examinations, to propose updated UK national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) and to analyse current practice to see if any recommendations can be made to assist with optimisation.
Methods: A UK national dose audit was undertaken in 2019 focussing on paediatric CT examinations of the head, chest, abdomen/pelvis and cervical spine using the methods proposed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The audit pro-forma contained mandatory fields, of which the post-examination dosimetry (volume CT dose index and dose-length product) and the patient weight (for body examinations) were the most important.
Results: Analysis of the data submitted indicates that it is appropriate to propose national DRLs for CT head examinations in the 0-
Conclusion: Updated UK national DRLs are proposed for paediatric CT examinations of the head and chest.
Advances in knowledge: A national patient dose audit of paediatric CT examinations has led to the proposal of updated national DRLs.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | British Journal of Radiology |
| Volume | 95 |
| Issue number | 1129 |
| Early online date | 19 Nov 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information: No funding information.Open Access: No Open Access licence.
Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Published by the British Institute of Radiology
Citation: Analysis and results from a UK national dose audit of paediatric CT examinations. Mark Worrall, Mike Holubinka, Glafkos Havariyoun, Kirsten Hodgson, Sue Edyvean, John Holroyd, Anne Davis, Matthew Dunn, and Anna Gardiner. The British Journal of Radiology 2022 95:1129
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20210796