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CT radiation dose in children: a survey to establish age-based diagnostic reference levels in Switzerland

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Abstract

This work aimed at assessing the doses delivered in Switzerland to paediatric patients during computed tomography (CT) examinations of the brain, chest and abdomen, and at establishing diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for various age groups. Forms were sent to the ten centres performing CT on children, addressing the demographics, the indication and the scanning parameters: number of series, kilovoltage, tube current, rotation time, reconstruction slice thickness and pitch, volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP). Per age group, the proposed DRLs for brain, chest and abdomen are, respectively, in terms of CTDIvol: 20, 30, 40, 60 mGy; 5, 8, 10, 12 mGy; 7, 9, 13, 16 mGy; and in terms of DLP: 270, 420, 560, 1,000 mGy cm; 110, 200, 220, 460 mGy cm; 130, 300, 380, 500 mGy cm. An optimisation process should be initiated to reduce the spread in dose recorded in this study. A major element of this process should be the use of DRLs.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant no. 3200B0-105951) and are thankful to the members of SSPR, in particular: Drs G. Eich, S. Hanquinet, J.-M. Girard, A. Racle, G. Remsei, T. Schraner, P. Waibel, R. Wolf, Mme M. Wyttenbach, M. P. Brégis, and A. Devaud)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Institute for Radiation Physics (IRA–DUMSC), CHUV and University of Lausanne, Grand-Pré 1, 1007, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Francis R. Verdun, Daniel Gutierrez, Abbas Aroua & François Bochud

  2. University Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP–DUMSC), CHUV and University of Lausanne, Bugnon 17, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland

    John Paul Vader

  3. University Hospital of Lausanne (CHUV), Department of Radiodiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, CHUV and University of Lausanne, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Leonor Trinidad Alamo-Maestre & François Gudinchet

Authors
  1. Francis R. Verdun
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  2. Daniel Gutierrez
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  3. John Paul Vader
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  4. Abbas Aroua
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  5. Leonor Trinidad Alamo-Maestre
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  6. François Bochud
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  7. François Gudinchet
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Correspondence to Francis R. Verdun.

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Verdun, F.R., Gutierrez, D., Vader, J.P. et al. CT radiation dose in children: a survey to establish age-based diagnostic reference levels in Switzerland. Eur Radiol 18, 1980–1986 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-0963-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-0963-4

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