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Management of Patient and Staff Radiation Dose in Interventional Radiology: Current Concepts

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology volume 37, pages 289–298 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

The increasing complexity and numbers of interventional fluoroscopy procedures have led to increasing patient doses of radiation and to increasing concern over staff doses. Hybrid rooms incorporate multiple imaging modalities and are used by multidisciplinary teams in interventional fluoroscopy suites and operating theaters. These rooms present additional radiation protection challenges. The new low annual exposure limit for the lens of the eye also requires specific measures to prevent cataracts in operators. The traditional attitude of radiation protection must be changed to one of proactive management of radiation dose and image quality. Incorporation of a comprehensive dose management program into the departmental quality assurance program is now essential. Physicians, radiographers, and medical physicists play an essential role in the safe use of fluoroscopy in medical practice. Efficient use of all imaging modalities (e.g., fluoroscopy, digital subtraction angiography, cone-beam CT) requires knowledge of the effects of different equipment settings on patient and staff doses as well as the skill and competence to optimize these settings for each procedure and patient. Updates and recommendations on radiation protection and dose management programs, including aspects of education and training, are presented.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Meir MC, 59 Tshernihovsky St., Kfar Saba, 44281, Israel

    Gabriel Bartal

  2. Department of Radiology, Medicine School Complutense University, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Eliseo Vano

  3. College of Health Technology of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Graciano Paulo

  4. Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, Building 66, Room 4658, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA

    Donald L. Miller

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  1. Gabriel Bartal
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  2. Eliseo Vano
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  3. Graciano Paulo
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  4. Donald L. Miller
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Correspondence to Gabriel Bartal.

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Bartal, G., Vano, E., Paulo, G. et al. Management of Patient and Staff Radiation Dose in Interventional Radiology: Current Concepts. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 37, 289–298 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-013-0685-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-013-0685-0

Keywords

  • Dosimetry
  • Radiation protection
  • Radiation