PURPOSE:

Size-specific dose estimates (SSDEs) are the latest focus of interest among medical physicists studying radiation dose to the patient in computed tomography (CT). This study aims to make conversions from CTDIvol to SSDE and investigate the relationship between mean SSDE (SSDE) and central SSDE (SSDEcenter) values for pediatric patients of different age groups undergoing chest, abdomen, and pelvis scans.

METHODS:

In this retrospective study, we examined 105 consecutive pediatric CT exams of chest, abdomen, and pelvis (CAP) classified in 3 separate groups according to age: 0–5 years, 6–10 years, and 11–16 years. A MATLAB program was developed to determine SSDE values for each patient along 6 subregions: chest, abdomen, pelvis, chest and abdomen, abdomen and pelvis, and CAP. SSDE values derived over the slice at the center of each scan range (SSDEcenter) were also recorded. SSDE and corresponding SSDEcenter results were compared for each age group.

RESULTS:

Root mean square differences (RMSD) between SSDE and SSDEcenter values ranged between 0.13 mGy and 2.1 mGy through all groups and subregions, corresponding to 1.2% and 11%, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

In pediatric CT exams involving CAP region, CTDIvol and the water equivalent diameter at the middle of the scan range can be used to provide a reasonable estimate of mean SSDE with an RMSD of 11% at most.