CT Protocols: (Brain, ENT, Spine, Vascular) - Department of Radiology

103 Revised 7/22/09 (Gentry/Ranallo)
Lumbar Spine: (Pediatric Routine) (Protocol: # 17.1)
Billing:
Setup:
DFOV:
1. CT lumbar spine without, or with, or without and with
2. Contrast if used
1. Patient Supine, AP and lateral scouts, no gantry angle
2. Extend the scouts to include the aortic arch for smart prep if IV contrast is to be used.
3. Non-contrast unless otherwise protocoled
4. Scan from the top of T12 to the top of S2
5. Post myelography patients: Please remember to roll the patient 360 degrees before
scanning to distribute the contrast evenly in the spinal canal.
Preferred 15 cm (Range 14-18 cm)
Contrast:
1. Injection parameters:
2. Volume: 1 ml/lb (2 ml/kg) of 240 non-ionic contrast.
3. Injection Rate: 2 ml/sec
4. Smart prep over the aortic arch.
5. CT scan delay after arrival of contrast in the aortic arch: 5 sec (8 slice scanner),
8 sec (16 slice scanners), 10 sec (64 slice scanners)
Patient Age:
Choose the CT scan factors on the scanner for the proper age range of the patient
1. Child: (3 – 6 years)
2. Infant: (0 – 3 years)
Recons & Reformats:
1. All 2-D reformats described below are to be done as 2 mm x 2 mm reformats. Do them in
the coronal and sagittal planes.
3. If this is an exam solely with contrast or solely without contrast: Do 2D-reformats using
both the standard 1.25 mm images (Recon 1) AND the bone 0.625 mm images (Recon 2)
3. If this is a “with & without” contrast study: Do not do Recons 2 and 3 on the contrast scan.
Do 2D-reformats using the standard 1.25 mm images (Recon 1) only from the contrast
series AND also do 2 mm x 2 mm reformats using the bone 0.625 mm images (Recon 2)
from the non-contrast series.
4. Do not send the 0.625 mm (Recon 2) bone images to PACS.