Abstract
Increasing integration of computed tomography (CT) into routine patient care has escalated concerns regarding associated radiation exposure. Specific patient cohorts, particularly those with cystic fibrosis (CF) and Crohn's disease, have repeat exposures and thus have an increased risk of high lifetime cumulative effective dose exposures.Thoracic CT is the gold standard imaging method in the diagnosis, assessment and management of pulmonary disease. In the setting of CF, CT demonstrates increased sensitivity compared with pulmonary function tests and chest radiography. Furthermore, in specific cases of Crohn's disease, CT demonstrates diagnostic superiority over magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for radiological evaluation.Low dose CT protocols have proven beneficial in the evaluation of CF, Crohn's disease and renal calculi, and in the follow up of testicular cancer patients. For individuals with chronic conditions warranting frequent radiological follow up, the focus must continue to be the incorporation of appropriate CT use into patient care. This is of particular importance for the paediatric population who are most susceptible to potential radiation induced malignancy.CT technological developments continue to focus on radiation dose optimisation. This article aims to highlight these advancements, which prioritise the acquisition of diagnostically satisfactory images with the least amount of radiation possible.
Highlights
A significant and widespread increase in the utilisation of computed tomography (CT) has been evident in recent decades
A routine thoracic CT can potentially deliver an effective dose that is 50-fold higher than that associated with a standard chest radiograph.[2]
A type of CT filter, harden the X-ray beam by removal of those low energy X-rays. They further concentrate the X-rays in the central aspect of the scanned anatomy, resulting in increased image quality and a reduction in surface dose of 50% when compared with flat filters
Summary
A significant and widespread increase in the utilisation of computed tomography (CT) has been evident in recent decades. Concerns regarding CT associated radiation exposure are heightening; compared with conventional diagnostic radiographs, CT results in exposure to much higher radiation doses. A routine thoracic CT can potentially deliver an effective dose that is 50-fold higher than that associated with a standard chest radiograph.[2] the potential inherent radiation dose associated with CT has increased as faster image acquisition speeds facilitate vascular and multi-phase examinations. It can be surmised that the increased reliance on CT imaging has resulted in a concomitant rise in medical exposure to ionising radiation in the population.[3] Concurrent with the increasing use of CT, advances in CT technology have facilitated significant reductions in radiation exposure during individual examinations. Dose optimisation aims to produce a diagnostically satisfactory image while keeping the radiation dose as low as reasonably achievable
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