SECONDARY CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT OF PELVIC CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING PROTOCOLS

Abstract

Introduction. This study evaluates the secondary cancer risks associated with low-dose ionizing radiation from pelvic cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging protocols in the context of image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT).

Methods. The research identifies that effective dose varies significantly with protocol choice and field size; larger fields result in higher doses, emphasizing the need for optimization to balance diagnostic accuracy with safety.

Results.  Protocols such as Pelvis Fast, characterized by reduced default mAs and shorter scan times, demonstrate substantially lower effective doses compared to alternatives like Pelvis Large, translating to a decreased excess absolute risk (EAR) for secondary cancer development. Utilizing the BEIR VII model for risk assessment, the study underscores the importance of selecting imaging protocols with lower EAR values to mitigate secondary cancer risks effectively.

Conclutions. These findings highlight the critical role of protocol selection in reducing radiation exposure while maintaining high image quality, providing valuable guidance for enhancing patient safety in medical imaging practices.

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