Evaluation of patients radiation dose in computed tomography paranasal sinuses in children

This study evaluates pediatric patients' radiation doses during paranasal CT procedures. A total of 48 (28 (58.3%) male, 20 (41.7%) female pediatric patients have undergone CT paranasal sinuses (PNS) in three consecutive years. The pediatric patient's radiation exposure was estimated based on justified medical procedures. Calibrated multidetector CT (MDCT) machine (Siemens Somatom Sensation 64 (64 detectors)) was used for all the procedures. All the PNS procedures were conducted at Riyadh Care Hospital. The parameters included the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol (mGy) and dose length product (DLP) (mGy.cm). The mean, standard deviation and range of the volume CTDI (mGy) and DLP (mGy.cm) for the 3 particular years were (2018) 9.36 (3.49–34.88), 196.1 (56.27–812.1), (2019) 16.9 (3.74–45.8), 333.9 (55.8–832.9) and (2020) 22.8 (4.03–45.8), 474.9 (63.9–979.02), respectively. Patients' doses were lower compared to most previous studies. However, proper exposure parameters and precise justification will reduce pediatric radiation doses during CT-PNS significantly. •Pediatric patient's radiation doses were measured during PNS CT procedures for three consecutive years.•The differences between patients to others in radiation dose is high.•CT acquisition parameter optimization is vital to reduce the dose to its minimal value.•Patients' doses were lower compared to the most previous studies.•Establishing pediatric DRL and developing a standard pediatric protocol for CT PNS are recommended.