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Pediatric Body MDCT: A 5-Year Follow-Up Survey of Scanning Parameters Used by Pediatric Radiologists

¹ Both authors: Department of Radiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, 1905 McGovern-Davison Children's Health Center, Box 3808 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how pediatric body MDCT scanning parameters (i.e., the principal determinants of radiation dose) have changed since a prior survey conducted in 2001.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. The survey used in this study consisted of 27 questions addressing practice setting; equipment; and scanning parameters including kilovoltage, tube current, and pitch. Members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) received an email with a link to the Web-based survey. Respondents were asked to complete only one survey to represent their practice and indicate the number of pediatric radiologists their response represented.

RESULTS. Sixty-one responses representing 337 pediatric radiologists were received. Eighty-four percent of respondents practice in a university or children's hospital. No respondents reported using a peak kilovoltage setting of higher than 120 kVp for routine chest or abdomen scans. Those using 110 kVp or less increased from 4% to 48% for chest CT and from 1% to 32% for abdominal CT (p < 0.001). Weight-based adjustments in tube current are used by 98% of respondents. Tube current tends to increase with a patient's age or weight, with most pediatric body imaging examinations being performed with a tube current of less than 150 mA. The mean tube current used across all age groups decreased between 31 and 61 mA (p < 0.001), with the largest percentage decreases in patients in the 0–4 years age group.

CONCLUSION. Since 2001, the peak kilovoltage and tube current settings, two principal parameters determining radiation dose, used by SPR members have decreased significantly for pediatric body MDCT. It is a reasonable assumption that these changes are due to efforts to increase awareness about the risks of radiation.

Keywords: ALARA principle • MDCT • pediatric imaging • radiation safety • scanning parameters

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