Main description:

Paediatric patients have a higher average risk of developing cancer compared with adults receiving the same dose. The longer life expectancy in children allows more time for any harmful effects of radiation to manifest, and developing organs and tissues are more sensitive to the effects of radiation. This publication aims to provide guiding principles of radiological protection for referring clinicians and clinical staff performing diagnostic imaging and interventional procedures for paediatric patients. It begins with a brief description of the basic concepts of radiological protection, followed by the general aspects of radiological protection, including principles of justification and optimisation. Guidelines and suggestions for radiological protection in specific modalities - radiography and fluoroscopy, interventional radiology, and computed tomography - are subsequently covered in depth. The report concludes with a summary and recommendations.

Contents:

EDITORIAL ABSTRACT PREFACE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Introduction 2. BASIC CONCEPTS OF RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 2.1. Quantities and units 2.2. Summary of biological basis for radiological protection 3. General aspects of radiological protection in paediatric diagnostic imaging 3.1. Justification of diagnostic radiology procedures 3.2. Optimisation of radiological protection 3.3. Quality criteria implementation and audit 4. Radiological Protection in conventional paediatric radiography and fluoroscopy 4.1. Patient positioning and immobilisation 4.2. Field size and x-ray beam limitation 4.3. Protective shielding 4.4. Radiographic exposure conditions 4.5. Mobile radiography 4.6. Digital radiographic systems 4.7. Screen-film systems 4.8. Fluoroscopy 5. Radiological Protection in paediatric interventional radiology 5.1. Reducing unnecessary dose to the patient 5.2. Reducing unnecessary dose to the staff 5.3. Image acquisition using digital angiography or digital subtraction angiography 6. Radiological Protection of patients in paediatric computed tomography 6.1. Measurements of computed tomography dose 6.2. Justification/indications 6.3. Dose reduction measures in computed tomography equipment 6.4. Optimisation of image quality and study quality 6.5. Adjustment in scan parameters and optimising dose reduction 6.6. Protective shielding 6.7. Principles for dose reduction in paediatric computed tomography 7. Summary and Recommendations ANNEX A. Guidelines for the appropriate use of paediatric radiological procedures References