Computed Tomography Dose Estimation Using Dose Length Product Conversion Coefficients In Paediatric Patients From University Of Malaya Medical Centre

Abstract

The increasing use of computed tomography (CT) procedures provides a greater risk for paediatrics in developing radiation-induced cancer than adults. Therefore, a feasible method is required to quantify the received radiation dose. This study aims to estimate the effective dose (ED-estimated) received from CT Brain among paediatric patient of four age groups using published age-and-region specific dose length products (DLP) as ED conversion coefficients. A retrospective study was conducted over 2 months at the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Paediatric patients of four age groups: 0, 1, 5, and 10 years old who went through CT Brain scan was selected for this study. The DLP data that was obtained from the CT console was multiplied with age and region-specific conversion coefficient to estimate the ED. Over the 2 months of the study, there were numerous data of paediatric patients who went through CT Brain scan in the past 3 years from the date of 16 February 2020 that were kept by the hospital in their system. The estimated ED for the four age groups decreases as the age of paediatric patients increases. An inverse relationship will be observed between the age and effective dose of paediatric patients who went through CT Brain.