Factors that can be attributable to radiation dose
reduction among pediatric age group undergoing
brain computed tomography

Nariman Nsoor¹

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To identify factors that can decrease radiation dose among pediatric age group during brain CT scan examination.

Methodology: From June to July 2008 at King Hussein Medical Center, 150 children aged from 2 months -13 years, brain CT scan was obtained by changing radiation exposure parameters including kilo voltage peak, milliampere per second (kVp, mAs), pitch, number of slices and slice thickness. Dose report was recorded by CT scan machine including: The Dose Length Peak (DLP), CTDI (CT dose index) automatically. The patient, age and sex were also considered.

Results: Eighty nine were females (59.3%) and 61 patients were males (40.6%) with an average weight 0f 16Kg (range 3.2- 21). A statistically significant negative linear correlation was seen between number of slices and body weight, 0.56, 0.58. The most valuable applied pediatric scanning protocol during brain CT scan was modified protocol with low Ma less than150 mA, the tube current ranged from 80 to 280 mAs, with a median tube current of 159 mAs., followed by increasing the pitch value up to 1.5,reducing number of slices and slice thickness Number of slices and slice thickness and pitch were inversely proportional to radiation dose, while the Ma (current tube)is directly proportional to the radiation dose. We found little variation in the kilovoltage used.

Conclusion: The main aim of all radiological investigations especially in children is maximum diagnostic benefit and less radiation dose and to achieve that it is worth while to consider adjustment of pediatric protocols, equipement modification and lower radiation dose settings.

KEY WORDS: Dose Length Peak, CT Dose Index, Radiation dose, Computed tomography, Pediatric Patients.

Pak J Med Sci    July - September 2009    Vol. 25 No. 4     669-673

How to cite this article:

Nsoor N. Factors that can be attributable to radiation dose reduction among pediatric age group undergoing brain computed tomography. Pak J Med Sci 2009;25(4):669-673.

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1. Nariman Nsoor, MD.
Department of Radiology,
King Hussein Medical Centre,
Amman,
Jordan.

Correspondence

Dr. Nariman Nsoor,
P.O Box 182721,
Amman 11118,
Jordan.
E-mail: narimannsour@yahoo.com 

* Received for Publication: February 23, 2009
* Accepted: June 25, 2009

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