Recommendation for pediatric dose in nuclear imaging

Various formula have been proposed up to now for calculation of doses to be used for nuclear imaging, and different facilities have been adopted different formula and procedures for their own purposes. The Subcommittee for Standardization of Radionuclide Imaging, Medical and Pharmaceutical Committee of Japan, has made a survey of the pediatric doses currently used in different facilities in an effort to identify the most suitable formula for routine diagnosis. A total of ten formula and procedures to determine the pediatric dose are listed and examined. All of them are based on the adult dose in calculating the pediatric dose. It is assumed in the present report that the Recommendation for Standardization of Nuclear Imaging (2nd revision, 1987) is followed to determine the adult dose. As a result of the examination, a formula is selected as the most suitable one for calculation of radiation doses for pediatric nuclear imaging. The formula is in the form; (pediatric dose) = (adult dose) x [(Y+1)/(Y+7)], where Y denots the age. The doses given by this formula not only seem to be appropriate but also are close to those actually used in the facilities surveyed. The pediatric doses for various types of nuclear imaging are calculated by the formula for five age brackets (below 1, 1-3, 3-5, 5-10, 10-15) and tabulated. (N.K.)