RSSA Conference: Radiation Exposure from Repeated CT Scans in Children: A Quantitative Analysis.

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the frequency of pediatric patients undergoing multiple CT examinations during the last five years that lead to high cumulative effective dose (CED) and determined their age distribution.

Method: This retrospectively reviewed data on pediatric CT exams performed from 2018 to 2023 using radiology archives of King Abdulaziz University Hospital Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Result: A total of 2758 scans (representing 875 pediatric patients) performed in the past 5 years were included in this study. The mean and range of the DLP (mGy.cm) per procedure were 378(310-3986) for age group 0 to 5, 516 (129-4572) for age groups 6 to 10, and 572 (160-6474) for ages 11 to 15. The maximum number of repeats was 26 CT exams conducted from May 2020 to December 2022.

Conclusion: Repeats were carried out frequently and pediatric doses varied up to 30 times for the same CT procedure. There is a crucial need for exposure reduction among pediatric patients and the use of dose-tracking software, with alert levels to reduce unnecessary repeats.