Table 1.
Imaging protocol for the paediatric chest using a 16-row MDCT scanner
| Routine scan | Combiscan/CTA | |
|---|---|---|
| Indication | Stricture | Cardiovascular anomalies |
| Tumour | Small tracheobronchial stenoses | |
| Tracheomalacia | ||
| Peripheral airways disease | ||
| Anatomical area | Thoracic inlet to diaphragm | |
| Tube collimation (mm) | 1.5 | 0.75 |
| Slice width – reconstructed (mm) | 5 | 3 |
| Table feed (mm/rotation) | 24 | 12 |
| Exposure factors | 100 kVp | 100 kVp |
| 20–75 effective mAs (dependent on patient weight) | 20–75 effective mAs (dependent on patient weight) | |
| 0.5 s scan time | 0.5 s scan time | |
| Respiration | Suspended inspiration; single breath-hold where possible | |
| Three to five expiratory scans for tracheomalacia/small airways disease | ||
| Contrast medium | None | Yes |
| Triggering for CTA | ||
| Algorithm | Soft tissue | Soft tissue plus reconstruction on bony algorithm for high-resolution CT of the lungs |