AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Mar 2015
Variation in CT pediatric head examination radiation dose: results from a national survey.
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to examine the variation in radiation dose, CT dose index volume (CTDIvol), and dose-length product (DLP) for pediatric head CT examinations as a function of hospital characteristics across the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS. ⋯ CONCLUSION. Most hospitals (82%) report doses that meet American College of Radiology accreditation levels. However, [corrected] the mean CTDI(vol) at children's hospitals was approximately 7 mGy (21%, adjusted for covariates), lower than that at nonchildren's hospitals.
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OBJECTIVE. Falls are a common cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. We evaluated trends in CT utilization for adult fall patients in the United States from 2001 to 2010. ⋯ There was a 2.5-fold increase in CT utilization among adult fall patient visits from 2001 to 2010. When demographic and clinical variables were controlled for, increasing year was independently associated with CT utilization. These findings suggest that CT may be overutilized among adult fall patients.
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OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to review the use of MRI in breast density measurement and breast cancer risk estimation and to discuss the role of MRI as an alternative screening to mammography for screening women with dense breasts. ⋯ The potential of MRI for screening women with dense breasts remains controversial because of the paucity of clinical evidence, the possibility of overdiagnosis, and the cost-effectiveness of the technique in this population. Although methods of MRI measurement require standardization and automation, future addition of MRI density to risk models may positively impact their value.