Determination of computed tomography quantities using a new pediatric phantom

Abstract

A computed tomography pediatric head phantom that uses special materials to simulate the cortical and the cancellous bone was developed. This paper shows its behavior to determine the specific computed tomography radiation quantities at two calibration laboratory, the LCI-IPEN, Brazil and LMRI-IST, Portugal. The specific quantities measured were: air kerma index(Ca,100), weighted air kerma index (Cw), average volumetric air kerma index (Cvol) and the air kerma- lenght product (PKL). The reference radiation qualities used in both laboratories were the radiation qualities recommended by the norm IEC 61267 (RQT8, RQT9 e RQT10) to computed tomography dosimetry measurements. The calculated values of CW show attenuation of 11%, 13% and 10% for the qualities RQT 8, RQT 9 and RQT 10, respectively, from cortical to cancellous bone.