A New Method to Reduce Radiation Dose in Multidetector CT while Maintaining Image Quality

For pediatric patients, radiation dose is reduced 40% to 60%Pregnant patients at early gestational stage (<10 weeks), dose reduction to fetus can be up to 35%This method could serve as a complementary approach to TCM for pediatric patientsImage quality is maintained

Reduce radiation dose to selected organs during helical CT scan.

UCLA scientists have developed a method to specifically reduce radiation dose to selected organs during a conventional helical CT scan performed on a patient. This innovation exploits the significant dose variations when CT scanning is performed to reduce dose to targeted radiosensitive organs solely by varying the tube start angle in CT scans.

Patent Number: US20130188770A1
Application Number: US13811219A
Inventor: McNitt-Gray, Michael F. | Zhang, Di
Priority Date: 21 Jul 2010
Priority Number: US20130188770A1
Application Date: 2 Apr 2013
Publication Date: 25 Jul 2013
IPC Current: A61B000600 | A61B000603
US Class: 378016
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: METHOD TO REDUCE RADIATION DOSE IN MULTIDETECTOR CT WHILE MAINTAINING IMAGE QUALITY
Usefulness: METHOD TO REDUCE RADIATION DOSE IN MULTIDETECTOR CT WHILE MAINTAINING IMAGE QUALITY
Summary: Method of reducing radiation dose on fetus of pregnant patient or eye lens of adult female during computed tomography (CT) scan. Can also be used in reducing radiation dose on breast, testes, thyroid and eye lens of infant.
Novelty: Method of reducing radiation dose on e.g. fetus of pregnant patient during computed tomography scan, involves determining tube start angle of X-ray source based on organ location, starting location of source, beam width and pitch of scan

Biomedical

Medical Imaging

20130188770

State Of Development

The method and calculations have been developed and tested by simulations using a CT model, which was rigorously validated by physical measurements. Software with graphical interface has been developed to provide optimal x-ray source positioning based on necessary inputs.

Background

At more than 60 million scans per year in the U.S, computed tomography (CT) is a major contributor to the increased collective radiation received by patients. Concerns over ionizing radiation received by patients have been compounded by evidence for a small radiation-associated cancer risk from exposure comparable to a few CT scans. To address these concerns, various approaches to reduce radiation from CT scans have been developed, including tube current modulation (TCM), and intensity and energy adjustment of the x-ray. Although these techniques have had success at reducing overall radiation, they lack anatomical specificity, and ability to target specific radiation sensitive organs for radiation dose reduction.

Related Materials

Reducing Dose to a Small Organ by Varying the Tube Start Angle in a Helical CT Scan

Tech ID/UC Case

21515/2009-759-0

Related Cases

2009-759-0

USA

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