PET/CT management in a pediatric oncology center

Abstract Background There are increasing indications for PET imaging in pediatric oncology. However, few PET units have reported imaging experience in children, probably due to supposed constraints of organizational procedures and need of sedation practice. Objective To share our experience in the management of 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging in children, as a cancer research center, for which PET/CT can be performed without sedation and with no substantial external radiation hazard for both technologist and the accompanying person. Materials and methods Two hundred and twelve consecutive PET/CT scans performed in 118 children, median age 10.7 years (range 2–18). All PET were carried out without sedation or drug preparation. Parents were allowed to stay with their child wearing an external operational dosimeter. Delivered dose to parent and technologist was registered at the end of procedure. Results PET/CT indications were assessment of lymphoma ( n  = 121), bone ( n  = 30) and soft tissue sarcomas ( n  = 19), neurofibromatosis with suspected malignancy ( n  = 8), head and neck cancer ( n  = 8), gliomas ( n  = 8) and miscellaneous ( n  = 18). Parent's median effective delivered dose was 12.5 μSv (range: 4–50): 18 μSv when child under 5 years, 11 μSv between 6–12 years and 10 μSv when older than 12. Technologist median radiation exposure was 1.23 μSv per patient. Conclusion PET/CT imaging in pediatric oncology is a feasible and non-invasive procedure, and can be performed routinely even in the young children. Sedation could be avoided in most cases, with skilled and trained technologists, implication of both parents and children and reassuring environment. The effective dose delivered to the technologist the accompanying parent is low, with regard to the diagnostic and prognostic PET/CT benefit in children's medical care.