Abstract
Imaging modalities such as ultrasound do not have the sensitivity and specificity of computed tomography (CT) scan in the accurate assessment of urolithiasis. However, concerns regarding the exposure of patients to multiple investigatory CT scans, given the radiation exposure associated with such examinations, have led to definition of protocols that reduce radiation exposure while achieving similar diagnostic efficiency as standard CT scanning. With improved CT protocols using the information obtained during a CT scan, less radiation is required to provide adequate information on urinary stone disease.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Brenner DJ, Hall EJ. Computed tomography – an increasing source of radiation exposure. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(22):2277–84.
Ferrandino MN, Bagrodia A, Pierre SA, Scales Jr CD, Rampersaud E, Pearle MS, et al. Radiation exposure in the acute and short-term management of urolithiasis at 2 academic centers. J Urol. 2009;181(2):668–72, discussion 73.
Brenner D, Elliston C, Hall E, Berdon W. Estimated risks of radiation-induced fatal cancer from pediatric CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2001;176(2):289–96.
Brenner DJ, Doll R, Goodhead DT, Hall EJ, Land CE, Little JB, et al. Cancer risks attributable to low doses of ionizing radiation: assessing what we really know. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2003;100(24):13761–6.
Brenner DJ, Sachs RK. Estimating radiation-induced cancer risks at very low doses: rationale for using a linear no-threshold approach. Radiat Environ Biophys. 2006;44(4):253–6.
Eisenberg MJ, Afilalo J, Lawler PR, Abrahamowicz M, Richard H, Pilote L. Cancer risk related to low-dose ionizing radiation from cardiac imaging in patients after acute myocardial infarction. CMAJ. 2011;183(4):430–6.
Griffey RT, Sodickson A. Cumulative radiation exposure and cancer risk estimates in emergency department patients undergoing repeat or multiple CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2009;192(4):887–92.
Morgan WF, Schwartz JL. Environmental Mutagen Society symposium on ‘Risks of low dose, low dose rate exposures of ionizing radiation to humans’. Int J Radiat Biol. 2007;83(7):491–9.
Shimizu Y, Kato H, Schull WJ, Preston DL, Fujita S, Pierce DA. Studies of the mortality of A-bomb survivors. 9. Mortality, 1950–1985: part 1. Comparison of risk coefficients for site-specific cancer mortality based on the DS86 and T65DR shielded kerma and organ doses. Radiat Res. 1989;118(3):502–24.
Preston DL, Shimizu Y, Pierce DA, Suyama A, Mabuchi K. Studies of mortality of atomic bomb survivors. Report 13: solid cancer and noncancer disease mortality: 1950–1997. Radiat Res. 2003;160(4):381–407.
Preston DL, Pierce DA, Shimizu Y, Cullings HM, Fujita S, Funamoto S, et al. Effect of recent changes in atomic bomb survivor dosimetry on cancer mortality risk estimates. Radiat Res. 2004;162(4):377–89.
Shimizu Y, Pierce DA, Preston DL, Mabuchi K. Studies of the mortality of atomic bomb survivors. Report 12, part II. Noncancer mortality: 1950–1990. Radiat Res. 1999;152(4):374–89.
Pierce DA, Preston DL. Radiation-related cancer risks at low doses among atomic bomb survivors. Radiat Res. 2000;154(2):178–86.
Zablotska LB, Ashmore JP, Howe GR. Analysis of mortality among Canadian nuclear power industry workers after chronic low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation. Radiat Res. 2004;161(6):633–41.
Colgan PA, Currivan L, Fenton D. An assessment of annual whole-body occupational radiation exposure in Ireland (1996–2005). Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2008;128(1):12–20.
Howe GR, Zablotska LB, Fix JJ, Egel J, Buchanan J. Analysis of the mortality experience amongst U.S. nuclear power industry workers after chronic low-dose exposure to ionizing radiation. Radiat Res. 2004;162(5):517–26.
Wing S, Richardson DB. Age at exposure to ionising radiation and cancer mortality among Hanford workers: follow up through 1994. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62(7):465–72.
Cardis E, Vrijheid M, Blettner M, Gilbert E, Hakama M, Hill C, et al. The 15-country collaborative study of cancer risk among radiation workers in the nuclear industry: estimates of radiation-related cancer risks. Radiat Res. 2007;167(4):396–416.
Wrixon AD. New ICRP recommendations. J Radiol Prot. 2008;28(2):161–8.
Wrixon AD. New recommendations from the International Commission on Radiological Protection – a review. Phys Med Biol. 2008;53(8):R41–60.
Wallo A, Domotor S, Vazquez G. U.S. Department of energy policies, directives, and guidance for radiological control and release of property. Health Phys. 2006;91(5):526–8.
Kojo K, Helminen M, Leuthold G, Aspholm R, Auvinen A. Estimating the cosmic radiation dose for a cabin crew with flight timetables. J Occup Environ Med. 2007;49(5):540–5.
Zilberman DE, Tsivian M, Lipkin ME, Ferrandino MN, Frush DP, Paulson EK, et al. Low dose computerized tomography for detection of urolithiasis – its effectiveness in the setting of the urology clinic. J Urol. 2011;185(3):910–4.
McCollough CH, Primak AN, Braun N, Kofler J, Yu L, Christner J. Strategies for reducing radiation dose in CT. Radiol Clin North Am. 2009;47(1):27–40.
Paulson EK, Weaver C, Ho LM, Martin L, Li J, Darsie J, et al. Conventional and reduced radiation dose of 16-MDCT for detection of nephrolithiasis and ureterolithiasis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2008;190(1):151–7.
Heneghan JP, McGuire KA, Leder RA, DeLong DM, Yoshizumi T, Nelson RC. Helical CT for nephrolithiasis and ureterolithiasis: comparison of conventional and reduced radiation-dose techniques. Radiology. 2003;229(2):575–80.
Poletti PA, Platon A, Rutschmann OT, Schmidlin FR, Iselin CE, Becker CD. Low-dose versus standard-dose CT protocol in patients with clinically suspected renal colic. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2007;188(4):927–33.
Kim BS, Hwang IK, Choi YW, Namkung S, Kim HC, Hwang WC, et al. Low-dose and standard-dose unenhanced helical computed tomography for the assessment of acute renal colic: prospective comparative study. Acta Radiol. 2005;46(7):756–63.
Frush DP, Slack CC, Hollingsworth CL, Bisset GS, Donnelly LF, Hsieh J, et al. Computer-simulated radiation dose reduction for abdominal multidetector CT of pediatric patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;179(5):1107–13.
Jellison FC, Smith JC, Heldt JP, Spengler NM, Nicolay LI, Ruckle HC, et al. Effect of low dose radiation computerized tomography protocols on distal ureteral calculus detection. J Urol. 2009;182(6):2762–7.
Mulkens TH, Daineffe S, De Wijngaert R, Bellinck P, Leonard A, Smet G, et al. Urinary stone disease: comparison of standard-dose and low-dose with 4D MDCT tube current modulation. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2007;188(2):553–62.
Tartari S, Rizzati R, Righi R, Deledda A, Terrani S, Benea G. Low-dose unenhanced CT protocols according to individual body size for evaluating suspected renal colic: cumulative radiation exposures. Radiol Med. 2010;115(1):105–14.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag London
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pierre, S.A. (2012). The Use of Low-Dose CT Scanning. In: Talati, J., Tiselius, HG., Albala, D., YE, Z. (eds) Urolithiasis. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4387-1_35
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4387-1_35
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-4383-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-4387-1
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)