We present a method of estimating effective doses in cardiac CT that accounts for selected techniques (kV/mAs), anatomical location of the scan and patient size. A CT dosimetry spreadsheet (ImPACT CT Patient Dosimetry Calculator) was used to estimate effective doses (E) using ICRP 103 weighting factors for a 70 kg patient undergoing cardiac CT examinations. Using dose length product (DLP) for the same scans, we obtained values of E/DLP for three CT scanners used in cardiac imaging from two vendors. E/DLP ratios were obtained as a function of the anatomical location in the chest and for x-ray tube voltages ranging from 80 to 140 kV. We also computed the ratio of the average absorbed dose in a water cylinder modeling a patient weighing W kg to the corresponding average absorbed dose in a water cylinder equivalent to a 70 kg patient.
The average E/DLP for a 16 cm cardiac heart CT scan was 26 µSv/(mGy cm), which is about 70% higher than the current E/DLP values used for chest CT scans (i.e. 14–17 µSv/(mGy cm)). Our cardiac E/DLP ratios are higher because the cardiac region is ~30% more radiosensitive than the chest, and use of the ICRP 103 tissue weighting factors increases cardiac CT effective doses by ~30%. Increasing the x-ray tube voltage from 80 to 140 kV increases the E/DLP conversion factor for cardiac CT by 17%. For the same incident radiation at 120 kV, doses in 45 kg adults were ~22% higher than those in 70 kg adults, whereas doses in 120 kg adults were ~28% lower. Accurate estimates of the patient effective dose in cardiac CT should use ICRP 103 tissue weighting factors, and account for a choice of scan techniques (kV/mAs), exposed scan region, as well as patient size.