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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Cumulative doses analysis in young trauma patients: a single-centre experience

subject

description

Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) represents the main source of radiation expo- sure in trauma patients. The radiation exposure of young patients is a matter of considerable medical concern due to possible long-term effects. Multiple MDCT stud- ies have been observed in the young trauma population with an increase in radiation exposure. We have identi- fied 249 young adult patients (178 men and 71 women; age range 14-40 years) who had received more than one MDCT study between June 2010 and June 2014. According to the International Commission on Radio- logical Protection publication, we have calculated the cumulative organ dose tissue-weighting factors by using CT-EXPO software ® . We have observed a mean cumula- tive dose of about 27 mSv (range from 3 to 297 mSv). The distribution analysis is characterised by low effec- tive dose, below 20 mSv, in the majority of the patients. However, in 29 patients, the effective dose was found to be higher than 20 mSv. Dose distribution for the vari- ous organs analysed (breasts, ovaries, testicles, heart and eye lenses) shows an intense peak for lower doses, but in some cases high doses were recorded. Even though cumulative doses may have long-term effects, which are still under debate, high doses are observed in this spe- cific group of young patients.