N.Y. cautions patients on pediatric CT imaging

The N.Y. State Department of Health (DOH) is issuing informational pamphlets and child medical imaging cards as part of a campaign to raise awareness about radiation safety issues associated with CT imaging of children. The materials are being provided to 16,000 pediatricians and physicians statewide, who will distribute them to patients and parents.

The effort is part of the Image Gently Campaign, which was initiated in 2007 by the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging. The DOH said it is partnering in this campaign to heighten patient and parental awareness of potential radiation exposure risks from CT procedures and encourage the medical community to use low radiation dosages when imaging children.

"CT imaging is an effective and widely used diagnostic tool, but it should be performed in a manner that reduces any undue risks to patients, especially children," said N.Y. State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, MD. "Parents should be aware of radiation safety issues for children and talk to their physicians about which imaging options are appropriate for their child."

The DOH and other healthcare organizations are advocating practices to reduce radiation exposure in pediatric imaging, including: using alternative, non-radiation diagnostic imaging procedures such as MRIs and ultrasounds when possible; limiting multislice CT imaging to specified areas and avoiding multiple scans; determining the lowest dose of radiation based on factors, such as a child's age and size, that will produce a high quality image; and encouraging CT facilities to obtain accreditation from the American College of Radiology's CT accreditation program.