Patient-adapted organ absorbed dose and effective dose estimates in pediatric 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography studies Journal Article


Authors: Quinn, B. M.; Gao, Y.; Mahmood, U.; Pandit-Taskar, N.; Behr, G.; Zanzonico, P.; Dauer, L. T.
Article Title: Patient-adapted organ absorbed dose and effective dose estimates in pediatric 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography studies
Abstract: Background: Organ absorbed doses and effective doses can be used to compare radiation exposure among medical imaging procedures, compare alternative imaging options, and guide dose optimization efforts. Individual dose estimates are important for relatively radiosensitive patient populations such as children and for radiosensitive organs such as the eye lens. Software-based dose calculation methods conveniently calculate organ dose using patient-adjusted and examination-specific inputs. Methods: Organ absorbed doses and effective doses were calculated for 429 pediatric 18F-FDG PET-CT patients. Patient-adjusted and scan-specific information was extracted from the electronic medical record and scanner dose-monitoring software. The VirtualDose and OLINDA/EXM (version 2.0) programs, respectively, were used to calculate the CT and the radiopharmaceutical organ absorbed doses and effective doses. Patients were grouped according to age at the time of the scan as follows: less than 1 year old, 1 to 5 years old, 6 to 10 years old, 11 to 15 years old, and 16 to 17 years old. Results: The mean (+/- standard deviation, range) total PET plus CT effective dose was 14.5 (1.9, 11.2-22.3) mSv. The mean (+/- standard deviation, range) PET effective dose was 8.1 (1.2, 5.7-16.5) mSv. The mean (+/- standard deviation, range) CT effective dose was 6.4 (1.8, 2.9-14.7) mSv. The five organs with highest PET dose were: Urinary bladder, heart, liver, lungs, and brain. The five organs with highest CT dose were: Thymus, thyroid, kidneys, eye lens, and gonads. Conclusions: Organ and effective dose for both the CT and PET components can be estimated with actual patient and scan data using commercial software. Doses calculated using software generally agree with those calculated using dose conversion factors, although some organ doses were found to be appreciably different. Software-based dose calculation methods allow patient-adjusted dose factors. The effort to gather the needed patient data is justified by the resulting value of the characterization of patient-adjusted dosimetry. © 2020 The Author(s).
Keywords: pediatric; effective dose; ct dosimetry; pet dosimetry; pet/ct dosimetry
Journal Title: BMC Medical Imaging
Volume: 20
ISSN: 1471-2342
Publisher: Biomed Central Ltd  
Date Published: 2020-01-29
Start Page: 9
Language: English
DOI: 10.1186/s12880-020-0415-4
PUBMED: 31996149
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC6988339
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 2 March 2020 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Pat B Zanzonico
    357 Zanzonico
  2. Lawrence Dauer
    172 Dauer
  3. Brian Quinn
    20 Quinn
  4. Usman Ahmad Mahmood
    48 Mahmood
  5. Yiming Gao
    19 Gao
  6. Gerald Gideon Behr
    29 Behr