Fetal Radiation Dose

Abdominopelvic CT doses are below guideline thresholds but much higher than other diagnostic imaging doses. Chest CT, brain CT, and plain radiographs are each listed as delivering fetal doses below 1 mGy. Abdominopelvic CT fetal doses are estimated at about 10-50 mGy. The evidence supporting the 100-200 mGy threshold is limited by older study designs, small samples, and reliance on animal data. Existing guidance states that fetal radiation exposure below 100-200 mGy does not appear to increase congenital malformation risk, even during organogenesis.