Comparison of organ and effective dose estimations from different Monte Carlo simulation-based software methods in infant CT and comparison with direct phantom measurements

Lawson, M; Berk, K; Badawy, M; Qi, Y; Kuganesan, A; Metcalfe, P

Author(s): Lawson, M; Berk, K; Badawy, M; Qi, Y; Kuganesan, A; Metcalfe, P;
Details: Publication Year 2022-06,Volume 23,Issue #6,Page e13625
Journal Title: Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics
Publication Type: Research article
Abstract: PURPOSE: Computational dosimetry software is routinely used to evaluate the organ and effective doses from computed tomography (CT) examinations. Studies have shown a significant variation in dose estimates between software in adult cohorts, and few studies have evaluated software for pediatric dose estimates. This study aims to compare the primary organ and effective doses estimated by four commercially available CT dosimetry software to thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) measurements in a 1-year-old phantom. METHODS: One hundred fifteen calibrated LiF (Mg, Cu, P)-TLD 100-H chips were embedded within an anthropomorphic phantom representing a 1-year-old child at positions that matched the approximate location of organs within an infant. The phantom was scanned under three protocols, each with whole-body coverage. The mean absorbed doses from 25 radiosensitive organs and skeletal tissues were determined from the TLD readings. Effective doses for each of the protocols were subsequently calculated using ICRP 103 formalism. Dose estimates by the four Monte Carlo-based dose calculation systems were determined and compared to the directly measured doses. RESULTS: Most organ doses determined by computation dosimetry software aligned to phantom measurements within 20%. Additionally, comparisons between effective doses are calculated using computational and direct measurement methods aligned within 20% across the three protocols. Significant variances were found in bone surface dose estimations among dosimetry methods, likely caused by differences in bone tissue modeling. CONCLUSION: All four-dosimetry software evaluated in this study provide adequate primary organ and effective dose estimations. Users should be aware, however, of the possible estimated uncertainty associated with each of the programs.
Publisher: Wiley
Keywords: Adult; Child; Humans; Infant; Monte Carlo Method; Phantoms, Imaging; Radiation Dosage; *Radiometry/methods; Software; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods; computational dosimetry; computed tomography; effective dose; infants; organ dose; thermoluminescent dosimeters
Department(s): Physical Sciences
PubMed ID: 35522240
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1002/acm2.13625
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1002/acm2.13625
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.

Creation Date: 2025-01-09 06:52:52

Last Modified: 2025-01-09 06:54:51