Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40914762›Full record

ArticleEuropean radiology2026

Diagnostic reference level curves for paediatric fluoroscopic imaging in the Netherlands.

Goswin O Croes, Ingrid M Nijholt, Martijn F Boomsma, Gitta Bleeker, Marcel J W Greuter, Cécile R L P N Jeukens, Carola van Pul, Jenny Siegersma, Geert J Streekstra, Alie Vegter and 2 more

Erratum issuedAbstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in European radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Goswin O CroesDepartment of Medical Physics, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, The Netherlands. g.o.croes@isala.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4184-0199
Ingrid M NijholtDepartment of Radiology, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
Martijn F BoomsmaDepartment of Radiology, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
Gitta BleekerDepartment of Radiology, OLVG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Marcel J W GreuterDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Cécile R L P N JeukensDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Carola van PulDepartment of Medical Physics, Maxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
Jenny SiegersmaDepartment of Medical Physics, Martini Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Geert J StreekstraDepartment of Biomedical Engineering & Physics, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Alie VegterDepartment of Radiology, Treant Zorggroep, Emmen, The Netherlands.
Dutch Association of Medical Specialists PiDRL task force
Alida J Dam-VervloetDepartment of Medical Physics, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesEstablishing paediatric DRLs is challenging due to sparse data availability. The objective was to assess paediatric fluoroscopic dose levels in Dutch clinical practice, as current diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) need updating following the European Guidelines on DRLs for Paediatric Imaging (PiDRL). MATERIAL AND

methodsAir Kerma-area Product (KAP) values were retrospectively collected from paediatric patients (0-18 years) who underwent fluoroscopic procedures in nine Dutch hospitals between 01-01-2017 and 01-06-2021. The protocols included were: micturating cystourethrography (MCU), upper gastrointestinal (Upper GI) and lower gastrointestinal with contrast enema (Lower GI). In accordance with the PiDRL recommendations for sparse data, the 75th percentiles of the median KAP values per age group from each hospital were fitted using an exponential dose-age curve, resulting in an age-dependent DRL curve. DRL values were compared to Dutch, other European national and European DRLs.

resultsA total of 971 examinations were included. For MCU, the proposed DRL curve was lower than the Dutch DRLs. The proposed DRL curve for Upper GI was also lower than the UK DRLs. No DRL curve could be established for Lower GI due to limited data.

conclusionsPaediatric fluoroscopic dose levels in this study are substantially lower than the current Dutch DRLs, indicating the need for new national Dutch DRLs for MCU. This study proposes using a DRL dose-age curve to update Dutch paediatric DRLs. Using the proposed curve method, more DRLs could be established than with the conventional method. The proposed DRL curves might serve as input for updating Dutch paediatric DRLs. KEY POINTS: Question Current Dutch diagnostic reference levels for paediatric fluoroscopy need updating, which is challenging due to sparse data availability. Findings Observed dose levels in this retrospective study indicate a potential decrease in Dutch diagnostic reference levels for paediatric fluoroscopy, using a dose-age curve method. Clinical relevance Updating Dutch paediatric fluoroscopic DRLs using a dose-age curve method allows for the establishment of DRLs in case of sparse data availability. This allows for further optimisation of radiation doses in the paediatric population.

Indexed as

Diagnostic Reference LevelsRadiation DosageAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleFluoroscopyHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleNetherlandsReference ValuesRetrospective StudiesDiagnostic reference levelsFluoroscopyPaediatrics

Identifiers

PMID40914762
PMCPMC12963151

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.