Multi-institutional Protocol Guidance for Pediatric Photon-counting CT
Kelly K. Horst, Joseph Cao, Cynthia H. McCollough, Alex M. El-Ali, Donald P. Frush, Marilyn J. Siegel, Juan Carlos Ramírez-Giraldo, Tom O’Donnell, Steve Bach, Lifeng Yu
Abstract
Performing CT in children comes with unique challenges such as greater degrees of patient motion, smaller and densely packed anatomy, and potential risks of radiation exposure. The technical advancements of photon-counting detector (PCD) CT enable decreased radiation dose and noise, as well as increased spatial and contrast resolution across all ages, compared with conventional energy-integrating detector CT. It is therefore valuable to review the relevant technical aspects and principles specific to protocol development on the new PCD CT platform to realize the potential benefits for this population. The purpose of this article, based on multi-institutional clinical and research experience from pediatric radiologists and medical physicists, is to provide protocol guidance for use of PCD CT in the imaging of pediatric patients.