Study Pinpoints Techniques for CT Radiation Dose Reduction

Such techniques as lower tube current, automatic exposure control, and reduced tube voltage rank among keys to significantly reducing radiation dose from CT of the head, paranasal sinuses, and spine, according to a study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. In the study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Johns Hopkins University note that radiation dose reduction from using these techniques is possible in adults and children alike. Moreover, despite the increasing use of MRI rather than CT when feasible, the latter remains an important tool, particularly for cerebrovascular diseases and head trauma, write Lead Researcher Mahadevappa Mahesh, PhD, and his colleagues. To ensure that the protocols are used as designed, the authors write, scanning techniques must be saved on the scanner user interface or explicitly documented in some form to avoid guesswork and potential errors at the time of imaging. They add that while promising, the use iterative reconstruction techniques to enable dose reduction for chest and abdominal CT,has not been reported for head CT. To register to read the study, click here: http://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(11)00241-9/fulltext