Swiss survey and national diagnostic reference levels for PET/CT examinations in adults

PURPOSE: Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) are benchmarks for optimizing radiation doses in medical imaging. This study establishes new national DRLs (NDRLs) for PET/CT examinations in Switzerland based on a multicentre survey. METHODS: Administered activities for PET examinations and dose indicators for localization / attenuation correction (AC) CT scans were collected in Swiss nuclear medicine (NM) institutes between April and September 2025. RESULTS: for AC CT varied considerably among NM institutes (1.0 - 7.5 mGy for vertex to mid-thighs), indicating potential for protocol optimization and standardization. The established NDRLs tended to be lower than international reference levels, and the corresponding dosimetric indices were generally low. CONCLUSION: The survey provides an overview of administered activities and CT doses in adult PET/CT examinations in Switzerland and establishes new NDRLs to guide protocol optimization.