Because of the radiation dose delivered, multidetector row CT (MDCT) may induce cancers, and the risk of death has been estimated at up to one per 1,000 examinations. Despite this, only a small proportion of referring clinicians, radiologists, and technologists are aware of both the radiation risks and their underlying mechanisms. This book is designed to rectify this situation. The first part of the book provides a comprehensive approach to all the factors that influence the radiation dose and subsequently the risk induced by using MDCT in children and adult patients. In the second part, guidelines are proposed for optimization of the radiation dose in order to obtain an image quality sufficient for appropriate diagnostic performance while restricting the dose delivered. This book, written by experts of international standing, will appeal to both general and specialized radiologists, including pediatric radiologists, CT technologists, physicists, manufacturers, and all professionals involved in MDCT.