Thirteen radiology-related organizations are urging healthcare practitioners to significantly reduce the amount of radiation administered to children during imaging scans.
The Image Gently Alliance advocates scanning children only when necessary, scanning only the indicated region, and scanning only once, adding that multiphase procedures, such as pre- and postcontrast and delayed exams, are rarely helpful.
The initiative also is encouraging providers to include medical physicists to monitor pediatric CT techniques, and technologists to optimize scanning protocols.
There were approximately 4 million pediatric CT scans performed in 2006, triple the number over the previous five years.
The campaign is led by the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging. Founding members are the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).
Related Reading
ACR responds to NEJM article on CT radiation risks, November 29, 2007
Radiation exposure of pregnant women doubles in 10 years, November 28, 2007
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