Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate, in terms of number of examinations and how effective doses are distributed by location and chronology, the use of CT and nuclear medicine examinations in the management of paediatric oncology patients.
Materials and methods: This was a retrospective and descriptive study that included 57 children (13 with neonatal neuroblastoma, 18 with renal tumours, and 26 with lymphoma) over a 5-year period, with the length of monitoring ranging from 1 to 7 years. All CT scans and nuclear medicine examinations were counted, and the effective doses calculated.
Results: The majority of the examinations were performed during the first year of management. The cumulative effective doses ranged from 7-152 mSv. The lymphoma group received the highest doses, but fewer than 10% of children received in excess of 100 mSv, as against 40% in the North American study published by Chawla et al.
Conclusion: The usage of irradiating diagnostic radiological examinations in paediatric oncology produces considerable effective doses, which must lead us to consider evaluating our practices, exploring all possible ways to improve protection from radiation, especially in terms of justifying investigations and using alternatives.
Keywords: Computed tomography; Nuclear medicine; Oncology; Paediatrics; Radiation doses.
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