Reducing Radiation Dose in Emergency Computed Tomography with Automatic Exposure Control Techniques

Overview

Journal Emerg Radiol

Specialties Emergency Medicine
Radiology

Date 2005 Sep 1

PMID 16133620

Citations 18

Authors

Mannudeep K Kalra

Stefania M R Rizzo

Robert A Novelline

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) scanning is being increasingly used for evaluation of trauma, which most commonly involves younger individuals. As younger patients are at higher risk for radiation-induced cancer compared to older patients, radiation dose reduction is an important issue in emergency CT scanning. With automatic exposure control techniques, users select a desired image quality and the system adapts tube current to obtain the desired image quality with greater radiation dose efficiency. These techniques can help in reducing radiation dose by 10-60% in most instances. This review article presents a comprehensive description of fundamentals, clinical applications and radiation dose benefits of automatic exposure control in emergency CT scanning.

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