Abstract

Purpose: To assess effective radiation doses for chest CT for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and calculate the radiation risk of the effects of this exposure.
 Material and methods: We analyzed the results of 1003 CT examinations of the chest performed in patients (6.2 %‒children 12–14 years, 15.3 %‒adolescents 15–19 years, 60.1 %‒adults 20–64 years, 18.4 %‒older persons 65 years and older) with suspected COVID-19 during one week in October 2020 in the city diagnostic center. In each group, the average effective dose (ED, mSv) was calculated.
 Results: The average ED values and confidence intervals (P=0.05) for patients with a single CT scan were: in children 2.59±0.19 mSv, in adolescents 3.23±0.17 mSv, in adults 3.43±0.08 mSv, in older persons 3.28±0.19 mSv. The maximum radiation risk indicators were observed in groups of children (24.1×10-5) and adolescents (23.3×10-5). For adult patients the means risk was 14.4×10-5. In groups of women radiation risk was 1.3–2.3 twice as high, as in male patients. The risk values in children, adolescents and adults are in the range 10×10-5 – 100×10-5 (low), for the older patients were 2.6×10-5 (very low). 
 Conclusion: Because of the study established effective radiation doses for chest CT of patients with the diagnosis of COVID-19 and the radiation risk for 1-3 times chest CT by age and sex of patients was calculated. It was found that the radiation risk for single, double and triple chest CT for patients under 65 is low, 65 and older is very low. Taking into account the radiation risk during CT is necessary to reduce the long-term consequences of radiation exposure on the population.

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