EANM procedural recommendations for managing the paediatric patient in diagnostic nuclear medicine

• Autor(a) principal: Camoni, Luca
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Santos, Andrea, Luporsi, Marie, Grilo, Ana, Pietrzak, Agata, Gear, Jonathan, Zucchetta, Pietro, Bar-Sever, Zvi
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/16387
• topic: Psychology; Nuclear medicine; Exam optimization; Patient management; Children

Purpose: The manuscript aims to characterize the principles of best practice in performing nuclear medicine procedures in paediatric patients. The paper describes all necessary technical skills that should be developed by healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible care for paediatric patients, as it is particularly challenging due to the psychological and physical conditions of children. Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature review to establish the most relevant elements of nuclear medicine studies in paediatric patients. We focused our attention on the technical aspects of the study, such as patient preparation, imaging protocols, and immobilization techniques, that adhere to best practice principles. Furthermore, we considered the psychological elements of working with children, including comforting and distraction strategies. Results: The extensive literature review combined with practical conclusions and recommendations presented and explained by the authors summarizes the most important principles of care for paediatric patients in the nuclear medicine field. Conclusion: Nuclear medicine applied to the paediatric patient is a very special and challenging area, requiring proper education and experience in order to be performed at the highest level and with the maximum safety for the child.