Determining and updating PET/CT and SPECT/CT diagnostic reference levels : a systematic review

Alkhybari, EM; McEntee, MF; Brennan, PC; Willowson, KP; Hogg, P; Kench, PL

Abstract

The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the national diagnostic reference level (NDRL) methods for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and single photon emission tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) procedures. A search strategy was based on the preferred, reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA). Relevant articles retrieved from Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cinahl, and Google Scholar published up to October 2017. The search yielded 1,057 articles. Fourteen articles were included in the review after a screening process. Relevant information from the selected articles were summarised and analysed. Discrepancies were found between the methodologies utilised to establish and report both PET/CT and SPECT/CT NDRLs, e.g. patient sampling and administered activity. Further research should focus on reporting more NDRLs for hybrid PET/CT and SPECT/CT examinations, and establish a robust NDRL standard for the CT portion associated with PET/CT and SPECT/CT examinations. This review provides updated NDRL reommndations to deliver more comparable international radation doses for administered activity and CT dose across PET/CT and SPECT/CT clinics.

Citation

Alkhybari, E., McEntee, M., Brennan, P., Willowson, K., Hogg, P., & Kench, P. (2018). Determining and updating PET/CT and SPECT/CT diagnostic reference levels : a systematic review. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 182(4), 532-545. https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncy113

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 28, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Aug 22, 2018
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jun 25, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 22, 2019
• Journal: Radiation Protection Dosimetry
• Print ISSN: 0144-8420
• Electronic ISSN: 1742-3406
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Volume: 182
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 532-545
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncy113
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncy113
• Related Public URLs: https://academic.oup.com/rpd