Abstract
The value of pediatric nuclear medicine is well established. Pediatric patients are referred to nuclear medicine from nearly all pediatric specialties including urology, oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology, and orthopedics. Radiation exposure is associated with a potential, small, risk of inducing cancer in the patient later in life and is higher in younger patients. Recently, there has been enhanced interest in exposure to radiation from medical imaging. Thus, it is incumbent on practitioners of pediatric nuclear medicine to have an understanding of dosimetry and radiation risk to communicate effectively with their patients and their families. This article reviews radiation dosimetry for radiopharmaceuticals and also CT given the recent proliferation of PET/CT and SPECT/CT. It also describes the scientific basis for radiation risk estimation in the context of pediatric nuclear medicine. Approaches for effective communication of risk to patients’ families are discussed. Lastly, radiation dose reduction in pediatric nuclear medicine is explicated.
Footnotes
Learning Objectives: On successful completion of this activity, participants should be able to (1) list 3 factors that affect the radiation dose from radiopharmaceuticals; (2) describe 4 ways to reduce the radiation dose from CT; (3) define the difference between target organ and effective dose; (4) describe how the radiation dose for children, particularly girls, differs from that for adults; (5) describe 3 ways to communicate radiation dose and risk to patients and parents; and (6) list 3 ways in which the radiation dose from pediatric nuclear medicine may be reduced.
Financial Disclosure: The authors of this article have indicated no relevant relationships that could be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of interest.
CME Credit: SNM is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing education for physicians. SNM designates each JNM continuing education article for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
For CE credit, participants can access this activity through the SNM Web site (http://www.snm.org/ce_online) through August 2012.
- © 2011 by Society of Nuclear Medicine