Question

During a routine CT scan of a pediatric chest, the radiologist requests that the technologist reconstruct the image data with 1.25 mm slices rather than 2.5 mm slices. One negative effect of this change will be:

Answer 1

Reducing CT slice thickness from 2.5 mm to 1.25 mm increases radiation exposure due to the need for more x-ray shots to cover the same area, heightening the risk of potential adverse effects such as cancer.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the radiologist requests that the image data on a pediatric chest CT scan be reconstructed with 1.25 mm slices instead of 2.5 mm slices, one negative effect is an increase in radiation exposure. The CT scanner generates images by rotating around the patient and taking multiple x-rays through different slices of the body. Thinner slices mean that more scans are required to cover the same body part, leading to more x-ray shots and consequently a higher dose of radiation. Since radiation doses are linked with an increased risk of cancer, particularly in children, the benefit of obtaining more detailed images must outweigh the risk of additional radiation exposure.