Radiation doses for pediatric cardiac computed tomography angiography: weight-based radiation typical values at a tertiary hospital in southern Thailand

This study determined weight-based median radiation dose levels or typical values as defined by the International Commission on Radiological Protection of pediatric cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) in a tertiary hospital. A total of 211 cardiac CTA studies from 194 children (<15 years old) were retrospectively analyzed. The study examinations were organized into categorized base on body weight ranges. The typical values for CTDIvol(mGy) and DLP(mGy.cm) were respectively determined for each weight band as follows: <5 kg(n = 42): 1.02,12.16; 5 ≤ 15 kg(n = 57): 1.42, 25.0; 15 ≤ 30 kg(n = 53): 2.15, 40.94; 30 ≤ 50 kg(n = 26): 3.80, 100.04; and 50 ≤ 80 kg(n = 3): 8.06, 212.23. The overall median (interquartile range) for each CT dose parameter were as follows: E = 1.80 (1.16-2.83) mSv, SSDEDw = 3.23 (2.54-4.78) mGy, SSDEAP = 3.17 (2.51-4.68) mGy, SSDELAT = 3.18 (2.54-4.50) mGy, SSDEAP + LAT = 3.25 (2.60-4.57) mGy, and SSDEEff = 3.21 (2.57-4.55) mGy. Further research is needed to develop local, regional, and national weight-based lifetime attributable risks for cardiac CTA in children.