Evaluation of dose conversion coefficients for an eight-year-old Iranian male phantom undergoing computed tomography.

In order to construct a library of Iranian pediatric voxel phantoms for radiological protection and dosimetry applications, an Iranian eight-year-old phantom was constructed from a series of CT images. Organ and effective dose conversion coefficients to this phantom were calculated for head, chest, abdominopelvis and chest-abdomen-pelvis scans at tube voltages of 80, 100 and 120 kVp. To validate the results, the organ and effective dose conversion coefficients obtained were compared with those of the University of Florida eight-year-old voxel female phantom as a function of examination type and anatomical scan area. For a detailed study, depth distributions of organs together with the thickness of surrounding tissues located in the beam path, which are shielding the internal organs, were determined for these two voxel phantoms. The relation between the anatomical differences and the level of delivered dose was investigated and the discrepancies among the results justified.