Radiation Dose Reduction Strategy for CT Protocols: Successful Implementation in Neuroradiology Section

Abstract

Use of dose-modulation techniques for neuroradiology CT examinations affords significant dose reduction while image quality is maintained.

Radiation Dose Reduction in CT-Guided Spine Biopsies Does Not Reduce Diagnostic Yield

“…20,[26][27][28][29] Intermittent axial scanning mode rather than helical mode and the use of a stationary CT table may further contribute to radiation dose reduction. 24,30 A substantial proportion of radiation exposure comes from pre-and postbiopsy scans because they are designed to optimize soft tissue visualization for needle guidance and to exclude postbiopsy traumatic sequelae.…”

The Use of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction in Pediatric Head CT: A Feasibility Study

“…None of our head CT examinations concurrently used automatic tube-current modulation (AutomA/SmartmA; GE Healthcare). Although tube-current modulation has shown promise in reducing pediatric head CT radiation dose, 33 we have not yet incorporated tube-current modulation into our routine pediatric head CT examinations. This is partly due to concerns that actual dose reductions may be more modest than originally believed 30 and that patients could be theoretically overdosed if they are not centered appropriately at the isocenter of the CT gantry.…”

Reducing Patient Radiation Dose during CT-Guided Procedures: Demonstration in Spinal Injections for Pain

“…The radiation reductions observed should be valid for other CT-guided procedures in radiology. Adding anatomy or attenuation-based tube-current modulation, [22][23][24] noise-reduction algorithms, 25 and/or tubevoltage reductions in nonobese patients 26 may further reduce patient radiation doses. Prospective studies also may identify other patient and procedural characteristics that affect patient doses during CT-guided procedures.…”