Organ doses and normalized organ doses for various age groups in ultralow dose pediatric C-arm cone-beam CT

Objectives To estimate organ dose to major radiosensitive organs during pediatric body C-arm CBCT and determine normalized organ doses using a state-of-the-art equipment. Methods This is a study performed utilizing physical anthropomorphic phantoms. Four anthropomorphic phantoms that simulate the average individual as a neonate, 1-year-old, 5-year-old, and 10-year-old child were used. Personalized Monte Carlo (MC)–based dosimetry was performed to estimate organ doses in children referred to thorax and abdomen C-arm CBCT acquisitions on a recently released latest generation C-arm CBCT system. Age-specific normalized organ doses were generated and organ dose was estimated for skin, bone, breast, lungs, esophagus, thymus, and heart, in the thorax, and liver, adrenals, kidneys, pancreas, stomach, gall bladder, and spleen in the abdomen. Estimated doses were compared to corresponding values obtained with physical measurements performed using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). Results The results consist of organ doses for thorax and abdomen acquisition protocols. The majority of organs received a dose below 1 mSv. For all ages, the normalized organ doses decreased from neonate to 10-year-old. The difference between the organ doses obtained with MC and TLDs was less than 8%. Conclusions Normalized organ doses in pediatric C-arm CBCT varied with age. Pediatric C-arm CBCT with latest-generation systems may be performed with sub mGy dose for most organs. Key Points • The dose to the majority of organs from pediatric C-arm CBCT is in the sub mSv level. • The normalized organ doses decreased from neonate to 10-year-old. • Reported normalized organ doses may be used to estimate organ dose in pediatric C-arm cone-beam CT on modern equipment.