Institutional clinical indication-based typical dose values of multiphasic abdominopelvic computed tomography examinations

Süleyman Filiz; Safiye Gürel; Kamil Gürel

doi:10.4274/dir.2024.232551

Institutional clinical indication-based typical dose values of multiphasic abdominopelvic computed tomography examinations

Diagn Interv Radiol. 2024 Feb 20. doi: 10.4274/dir.2024.232551. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Süleyman Filiz^{1

2}, Safiye Gürel^{1

3}, Kamil Gürel^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Bolu, Turkey.
² Ankara Gazi Mustafa Kemal Occupational and Environmental Diseases Hospital, Department of Radiology, Ankara, Turkey.
³ University of Health Sciences, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, Ankara, Turkey.

PMID: 38375738
DOI: 10.4274/dir.2024.232551

Abstract

Purpose: Our study aimed to obtain clinical indication-based typical dose values and size-specific dose estimates (SSDEs) for multiphasic abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) examinations and to review our data with published diagnostic reference levels (DRLs).

Methods: In this retrospective study, multiphasic liver, kidney, pancreas, and mesenteric ischemia protocol CT scans performed at our center between January 2018 and December 2021 were analyzed. The clinical indications were hepatocellular carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, pancreas adenocarcinoma, and mesenteric ischemia. The computed tomography dose index volume (CTDI_vol) and dose-length product (DLP) values were recorded, and the SSDE and effective dose (ED) values were calculated. The water-equivalent diameter (Dw) value required for the SSDE calculation was measured using the automated calculation of the Dw program.

Results: The total number of patients was 514, with 86 patients excluded from this study. The dose values were calculated for 426 patients (183 female and 243 male; 111 liver, 120 kidney, 85 pancreas, and 110 mesenteric). The median values for the CTDI_vol, DLP, SSDE, and ED were 6.86 mGy, 683.02 mGy. cm, 8.75 mGy, and 10.45 mSv for the liver CT; 8.37 mGy, 908.37 mGy.cm, 10.37 mGy, and 13.89 mSv for the kidney CT; 7.82 mGy, 517.98 mGy.cm, 10.01 mGy, and 7.92 mSv for the pancreas CT; and 9.48 mGy, 983.68 mGy.cm, 12.78 mGy, and 13.86 mSv for the mesenteric CT, respectively. All dose values were lower than the published DRLs.

Conclusion: The literature reveals large differences in the multiphasic abdominopelvic CT protocols, especially in the number of phases and scan length. This situation makes comparing dose values difficult. Dose studies revealing the protocol parameters in detail are needed so that institutions can compare and optimize their own protocols. Additionally, users should periodically check the dose values in their own institutions.

Keywords: Clinical indication; computed tomography; diagnostic reference levels; multi-phase scan; size-specific dose estimate; water-equivalent diameter.