Could the thorax CT protocol be designed based on neck circumference?

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate whether neck circumference (NC) is an appropriate somatometric parameter for determining tube voltage of thoraxCT for avoiding unnecessary radiation dose.Matetial and Methods: One hundred sixty-three patients who underwent unenhanced thorax CT were included in the study. The NC,body weight and height were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The patients were divided into two groupsbefore CT examination: In group 1, the different kV values based on neck circumferences were used on CT protocol, however thesame kV value was used for all patients in group 2. Both group CT images were evaluated visually and numerically.Results: The effective dose showing radiation received by the patient was lower in Group 1 than the Group 2 (p