HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Mackey, D. Articles by Magee, M. PubMed Articles by Mackey, D. Articles by Magee, M.

Compassion accelerated imaging optimises doses up. From ALARA to CALARA

¹ Nuclear Medicine, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

1202

Objectives: Diagnostic nuclear imaging may present an arduous and painful process for the aged/frail/infirm or demented. Incomplete, substandard or even nondiagnostic images may result. Nuclear imaging duration may be reduced in selected procedures by increasing activity. This is not commonly applied other than by weight as optimisation usually emphasises dose reduction. Doses prescribed by nuclear physicians are usually codified for routine use as protocols reflecting the average expected in good practice for normal patients. With the low life expectancy in a compromised elderly group of demented or infirm patients, any risk arising from an extra 1 to 10 cGy is nonapplicable.

Methods: Pain, dementia, mobility and weight are each scored 1 for mild, 2 for moderate and 3 for severe. Scores are summed then divided by three and rounded to range from 1-4. This combined score was tabled v/s age range and a CALARA dose multiplier proposed for each combination. Imaging time was reduced in proportion to CALARA value. 12 CALARA and 8 normal scans were randomised and assessed by 2 experienced reporters

Results:

Proposed Dose multipliers by age and combined pain/mental score

CALARA multipliers can reduce some nuclear imaging durations closer to those of radiology. ~ 20% of our inpatients are now scanned in the time using dose multipliers of 2. CALARA images were rated diagnostic by reporters.

Conclusions: CALARA use in a hospital environment gave immediate benefit in reduced imaging time, improved compliance, equivalent diagnostic certainty and greatly decreased duress.

This Article Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Mackey, D. Articles by Magee, M. PubMed Articles by Mackey, D. Articles by Magee, M.