General Principles in Pediatric Nuclear Medicine

Abstract

AbstractTypically, pediatric age range is defined as 0–18 years. Pediatric nuclear medicine plays an important role in diagnosis, management, and follow-up of many diseases in children. Average nuclear medicine departments only perform a few studies in patients up to the age of 18 years. Pediatric scintigraphy uses the same imaging devices as in adults but obtaining high-quality diagnostic images in a child is more challenging than in adults. The structures are smaller, the administered activities and count rates are much lower and motion artifacts are more abundant. Pediatric nuclear medicine technologists are expected to handle children and their caregivers with patience and empathy, so they can gain their trust and improve cooperation. They should be familiar with pediatric imaging protocols that can differ from adult protocols in study technique and administered activities. Correct interpretation of a pediatric nuclear scan relies on this meticulous technique and on the readers’ expertise. Readers should be familiar with the effects of normal growth and developmental changes on image findings and should be familiar with pediatric diseases. This chapter will give helpful tips on how to manage pediatric patients, optimize the workflow, and optimize the quality of diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures in children.