Organ doses, effective dose, and cancer risk estimation from head and neck CT scans

Abstract

PurposeThe goal of this study was to calculate the organ doses, effective doses, and cancer risk from head and neck computed tomography (CT) scans. Material and methodsAll patients underwent topogram, base, and cerebrum sequences during their head and neck examinations. Two techniques were used to determine the effective dose (ED). The first was based on the scanner derived dose length product, while the second involved using the software that calculated the organ and effective doses. Organ doses were computed using the tissue weighting factors from Report 103 by the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP). The cancer risk values were calculated using web-based software that is based on the BEIR VII Phase 2 report. ResultsThere were 293 patients in this study (189 males, 104 females). The overall mean effective dose in the females was higher than that in the males (2.19 vs. 2.06 mSv). Male patients had a mean cancer risk of 0.011%, whereas female patients had a mean cancer risk of 0.015%. The younger females had much higher cancer risk values. ConclusionThe findings of this study will assist physicians in justifying and optimizing dose administration of head and neck CT examinations by weighing the benefits of diagnosis on the one hand and awareness of cancer risk on the other.