EVALUATION OF THE RADIATION EXPOSURE IN SEQUENTIAL HEAD TOMOGRAPHIC EXAMS OF PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND DECOMPRESSIVE CRANIECTOMY

Abstract

Brain trauma patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy make several computed tomography (CT) scans until cranioplasty. Despite several recommendations to avoid unnecessary radiological exposure, few studies systematically analyzed the technical parameters employed. CT exams of 14 patients were retrospectively analyzed to find display field of view (DFOV), dose length product (DLP), volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and effective dose (ED). The values obtained were: 120 kVp [95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.5], 297 mA (95% CI of 5.6), scan range 20.8 cm (95% CI of 1.3), DFOV 24.5 cm (95% CI of 1.6), CTDIvol 67.5 mGy (95% CI of 10.17), DLP 1404.8 mGy.cm (95% CI of 235.0) and ED 2.9 mSv (95% CI of 0.5). In conclusion, these values were above the recommendations of several guidelines and raise concern for excessive radiological exposure in trauma patients despite being previously reported in the literature.