Radiologic clinics of North America
-
Radiol. Clin. North Am. · Sep 2011
ReviewChest sonography in children: current indications, techniques, and imaging findings.
Ultrasound of the thorax is particularly rewarding in children, because their unique thoracic anatomy provides many available acoustic windows into the chest. Newer ultrasound techniques can allow better understanding of lung disease. With minimum effort and creativity, chest ultrasound can provide important clinical information without radiation exposure or sedation sometimes required for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
-
Radiol. Clin. North Am. · Sep 2011
ReviewRadiation, thoracic imaging, and children: radiation safety.
The chest is the most frequently evaluated region of the body in children. The majority of thoracic diagnostic imaging, namely "conventional" radiography (film screen, computed radiography and direct/digital radiography), fluoroscopy and angiography, and computed tomography, depends on ionizing radiation. ⋯ Technical (e.g. equipment and technique) strategies can reduce exposure risk and improve study quality, but these must be matched with efforts to optimize appropriate utilization for safe and effective healthcare in thoracic imaging in children. To these ends, material in this chapter will review practice patterns, dose measures and modality doses, radiation biology and risks, and radiation risk reduction strategies for thoracic imaging in children.