Is informed consent necessary for computed tomography in children and young adults?

To the Editor: The risks of computed tomography (CT) are now well understood by radiologists and have been widely reported.1−3

Correspondence: jdecampo@gmail.com

1. Brenner DJ, Elliston CD, Hall EJ, Berdon WE. Estimated risks of radiation-induced fatal cancer from pediatric CT. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001; 176: 289-296.
2. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA public health notification: reducing radiation risk from computed tomography for pediatric and small adult patients. November 2, 2001. Washington, DC: FDA, 2001.
3. Brenner DJ, Hall EJ. Computed tomography — an increasing source of radiation exposure. N Engl J Med 2007; 357: 2277-2284.
4. Lee CI, Haims AH, Monico EP, et al. Diagnostic CT scans: assessment of patient, physician, and radiologist awareness of radiation dose and possible risks. Radiology 2004; 231: 393-398.
5. Rogers v Whitaker (1992) 175 CLR 479.
6. Gibbs N, editor. Safety of anaesthesia in Australia. A review of anaesthesia related mortality 2000–2002. Melbourne: Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, 2006.
7. Caro JJ, Trindade E, McGregor M. The risks of death and of severe nonfatal reactions with high- vs low-osmolality contrast media: a meta-analysis. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1991; 156: 825-832.
8. Southern Health Diagnostic Imaging. Paediatric computed tomography: patient information. Nov 2005. http://www.topradiology.com/consent/paediatric_ct.pdf (accessed Sep 2009).

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