Reduction of radiation dose in adult CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures
Journal Title: Journal of Radiology and Imaging - Year 2017, Vol 2, Issue 2
Abstract
Objective: We examine the effect of manually reducing CT scanner tube voltage (kVp) and current (mA) on patient radiation dose and procedural success during CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures on adults. We hypothesize that patient radiation dose can be reduced while maintaining procedural success. Materials and methods: This project was performed as an operational test of change. Scanner kVp and mA were manually reduced during CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures over a 6-month period (n = 20). Bilateral cases served as their own controls. The remaining control cases were obtained by retrospective review of our picture archiving and communication system. Default scanner voltage and current were recorded for all dose reduced cases. Using an experimentally derived formula, we calculated what the total exam DLP would have been had the default settings been used. In addition, a 32 cm acrylic body phantom was scanned using the recorded default and reduced settings for the dose reduced cases. Results: Radiation dose reduction for all procedures vs. control cases was statistically significant at 68% (p < 0.001). Average dose reduction for all procedures vs. calculated normal dose was statistically significant at 69% (p < 0.001). Average radiation dose for all cases using phantom scans was statistically significant at 72% (p < 0.001). All procedures were successful. Conclusion: Our study shows that significant reduction in radiation dose without reduction in procedural accuracy can be achieved by simply lowering the CT scanner voltage and current from their default settings.
Authors and Affiliations
Rawson C, Zhou Y, Thompson R, Giaconi J
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP553791
- DOI 10.14312/10.14312/2399-8172.2017-2
- Views 59
- Downloads 0
10-MV X-ray dose calculation in water for MLC and wedge fields using a convolution method with X-ray spectra reconstructed as a function of off-axis distance
Purposes: This paper highlights a 10-MV X-ray convolution dose calculation method in water using primary and scatter dose kernels formed for energy bins of X-ray spectra reconstructed as a function of the off-axis distan...
Reduction of radiation dose in adult CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures
Objective: We examine the effect of manually reducing CT scanner tube voltage (kVp) and current (mA) on patient radiation dose and procedural success during CT-guided musculoskeletal procedures on adults. We hypothesize...
The value of radiometry in sex assessment of bone fragments: A study on the radius in a modern Greek population
Objectives: This paper highlights the different applications of Digital Radiology in forensic sciences and proposes an alternative sex estimation method based on digital radiographs of the proximal and distal epiphysis o...
Clinical evaluation of near-infrared light transillumination (NIRT) as an interproximal caries detection tool in a large sample of patients in a private practice
Background: A study has been carried out in order to evaluate in vivo the diagnostic performance of near-infrared light transillumination (NIRT) compared to digital radiographic examination (RE) in the detection of class...
The forgotten lymph nodes: Review of the superficial head and neck lymphatic system
In patients with head and neck malignancy, knowledge of the lymphatic pathways relevant to tumor location is important for treatment preparation, both in radiation therapy and in surgery. The lymphatics of the head and n...