Author Interviews, NYU, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Radiology / 10.04.2017
Radiation Exposure in the Pediatric Patient: What Every Orthopaedist Should Know
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Ayesha Rahman, MD
Chief Orthopaedic Surgery Resident
NYU Langone Medical Center.
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Children are more vulnerable and susceptible to lifetime adverse events from radiation exposure, caused by imaging . We reviewed literature and found certain pediatric orthopaedic patients are at greater risk for radiation exposure, namely those who have surgery for hip dysplasia, scoliosis, and leg length discrepancy, as they are among those most likely to undergo CT imaging. After reviewing all types of imaging studies performed in orthopedics and how much radiation is involved in each test, we developed several recommendations that pediatric orthopaedic surgeons should follow.
Among those recommendations are: utilize low-dose CT protocols or technology that uses less imaging (like EOS), limit CT scans of the spine and pelvis, know that female patients are more susceptible to adverse risk and plan accordingly, and follow the the “as low as reasonably achievable,”principle to limit exposure to parts of the body that are necessary for diagnosis.
(more…)