RADIATION DOSE FOR PEDIATRIC AND YOUNG ADULT CT: A SURVEY TO ESTABLISH AGE-BASED REFERENCE LEVELS OF 2015-2016 IN KOREA.

To assess the doses delivered to pediatric patients during computed tomography (CT) examinations of the brain, chest, high-resolution lung and abdomen, and to establish diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for various age groups in Korea. Dose survey was done to the 19 hospitals performing CT on children, addressing the scan parameters, volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP). Per five age group (0, 1, 2-5, 6-10, 11-17 y of age), the proposed DRLs for brain, chest, high-resolution lung and abdomen CT are, respectively, in terms of CTDIvol: 18, 23, 26, 31, 36 mGy; 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 mGy; 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 mGy; 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 mGy; and in terms of DLP: 260, 350, 420, 500, 620 mGy•cm; 50, 80, 100, 170, 340 mGy•cm; 30, 40, 60, 90, 280 mGy•cm; 70, 80, 200, 300, 500 mGy•cm.

Patient dose for computed tomography examination: dose reference levels and effective doses based on a national survey of 2013 in Korea.

14,620 sets of patient dose data were obtained for 31 different models of computed tomography (CT) equipment (total 73) with 18 types of CT examination in Korea. Specific diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for this study in terms of third quartile volumetric CT dose index in mGy [and dose-length product (DLP) in mGy.cm] are as follows: head, 53 (910); neck, 20 (770); chest, 14 (710); abdomen, 14 (1000); stomach, 14 (1000); liver, 14 (1700); pancreas, 14 (1700); kidney, 14 (2100); cervical spine, 30 (600); lumbar spine, 25 (760); hip, 17 (600); cardiac CT angiography, 45 (1250); head CT angiography, 43 (1900); liver CT angiography, 14 (1400) and thoraco-abdominal CT angiography, 16 (2000).