Indications for low-dose CT in the emergency setting
Poletti, P.-A.; Andereggen, E.; Rutschmann, O.; de Perrot, T.; Caviezel, A.; Platon, A.
Revue Medicale Suisse 5(213): 1590-1594
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 19754008 Document Number: 13111
CT delivers a large dose of radiation, especially in abdominal imaging. Recently, a low-dose abdominal CT protocol (low-dose CT) has been set-up in our institution. "Low-dose CT" is almost equivalent to a single standard abdominal radiograph in term of dose of radiation (about one sixth of those delivered by a standard CT). "Low-dose CT" is now used routinely in our emergency service in two main indications: patients with a suspicion of renal colic and those with right lower quadrant pain. It is obtained without intravenous contrast media. Oral contrast is given to patients with suspicion of appendicitis. "Low-dose CT" is used in the frame of well defined clinical algorithms, and does only replace standard CT when it can reach a comparable diagnostic quality.
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