Radiation Dose Reduction in Pediatric Computed Tomography

Purpose: To optimize the computed tomography protocol in pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma for radiation dose reduction by reducing the scanning phases. Material and methods: A retrospective CT scan analysis of 48 children with newly diagnosed, verified Hodgkin’s lymphoma was performed at the primary staging and after the first chemotherapy. All studies were performed with contrast enhancement, scanning on a 16-slice computed tomography in the precontrast, arterial, venous and delayed phases. The radiation dose and the diagnostic value of each phase were assessed. Results: Two-phase scanning (in the native and venous phases) for primary patients allows significantly reduce the cumulative effective dose (ED) almost in twofold. Conducting single-phase scanning can significantly reduce the received ED by 3.8 times in both the primary and dynamic studies. Using the abbreviated protocol does not reduce the diagnostic value of CT. Conclusion: The greatest number of repeated CT examination is carried out in children with lymphomas. The radiation dose increases several times in multiphase scanning. New CT protocols reduces the radiation dose on children with Hodgkin lymphoma.