16 Process Improvements to Reduce CT Dose

The goal for any computed tomography (CT) scan should be to obtain the best image quality while delivering the lowest dose possible to patients. Failing to implement measures for delivering the appropriate radiation dose can result in unnecessarily high exposures, placing patients at increased risk of cancer.

Although ultimately radiologists are responsible for determining appropriate CT dose, some responsibility also lies with the facilities that own the equipment, as well as the referring physicians, the medical physicists, the technologists who administer the scans, and the device manufacturers. CT dose optimization requires the cooperation of all parties involved. CT users that do not make the effort to minimize and constantly monitor CT doses cannot expect to be using the lowest reasonably achievable dose.

Below, we present 16 recommendations to help your facility get its CT dose under control. These recommendations are grouped into the following action steps:

For information about new technologies developed to help reduce the risk of delivering inappropriate doses, see CT Dose-Reduction Technologies.

**1. Make achieving appropriate accreditation a priority. ...