A commentary in the July 2012 issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery states thatchildren with otolaryngologic disease, when treated using diagnostic imaging can have earlier and accurate diagnoses, shorter hospital stays, fewer invasive procedures, and more targeted surgeries.
In spite of the technological advancements, there exists a major concern regarding the exposure of children to ionizing radiation.
The radiosensitive body tissues are found to be more common in children than in adults, where the effects of radiation exposure can be gradually noticed. The study’s sources state that each year, around 7 million CT scans are being conducted on children in the U.S. alone. Almost half of the total radiation exposure in the U.S. comprises medical source radiation exposure.
In this commentary, the efforts to minimize the exposure of children to diagnostic imaging radiation and the medical tasks of the otolaryngologist have been discussed. Determining the need for CT scans for the right situation is indeed a challenge, besides providing the informational resources to otolaryngologists and others.
Discussion on ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) remarks that minimal radiation dosage can be achieved by scanning a specific area.
For achieving minimal radiation exposure from CT scans, three strategies have been suggested by other sources in this study. They include reducing the radiation dose of each study; ordering fewer CT scans; and deploying another imaging modality sans ionizing radiation.
The authors conclude that providing safer imaging in pediatrics is a mutual responsibility. Selecting the right test at the right time is crucial. It is important to consider the precision in imaging, ordering the best modality, the impact of imaging on the management, and the timing of imaging.