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Radiation dose and diagnostic reference levels for four interventional radiology procedures: results of the prospective European multicenter survey EUCLID

European Radiology volume 31, pages 9346–9360 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

To assess information reflecting radiation dose and define diagnostic reference levels (DRL) on a European basis for four interventional radiology (IR) procedures considering clinical indication, anatomical region, and procedure.

Methods

A prospective European study was performed to provide data on the IR procedures percutaneous recanalization of iliac arteries, percutaneous recanalization of femoropopliteal arteries, transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma, and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Hospitals were asked to complete a questionnaire giving information on procedure, equipment, and protocol. Patient size and weight, experience of the operator graded in number of procedures performed, and complexity level of each procedure were reported. Sixteen hospitals from 13 countries could be surveyed. The percentiles of the kerma-area product, fluoroscopy time, cumulative air kerma at the interventional reference point, and number of images were determined. The impact of equipment, year of installation, and complexity level of the procedure on dose were analyzed.

Results

DRLs based on clinical indication were defined. Dose values varied considerably within hospitals, between them, and within each subgroup of complexity level. The use of state-of-the-art equipment reduced dose significantly by 52%. Although dose also varied within each subgroup of complexity level, for transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, dose significantly correlated with complexity.

Conclusions

This was the first study reporting exposure practice and defining DRLs based on clinical indication for four IR procedures on a European basis. These DRLs can serve as a baseline for comparison with local practice, the study as a guideline for future surveys.

Key Points

• The use of state-of-the-art angiographic equipment reduces dose significantly.

• A significant correlation between radiation dose and complexity level is found.

• Dose values vary considerably, both within and between individual hospitals, and within each complexity level of interventional radiology procedure.

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Abbreviations

AEC:

Automatic exposure control

CI:

Clinical indication

DRL:

Diagnostic reference level

ESR:

European Society of Radiology

EUCLID:

European Study on Clinical DRLs

fps:

Frames per second

ICRP:

International Commission on Radiological Protection

IR:

Interventional radiology

K a,r :

Cumulative air kerma at the patient entrance reference

NI :

Number of frames in cine mode

pct:

Percentile

P KA :

Kerma-area product

PTA:

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty

PTBD:

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and biliary drainage

T :

Fluoroscopy time

TACE:

Transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the participating hospitals for their contribution to this study. Furthermore, the support of the representatives of national authorities and professional societies is gratefully acknowledged. In particular, the authors thank Jonathan Clark, Ulrike Mayerhofer-Sebera, and Monika Hierath, ESR, for their untiring commitment in organizing and administrating this project. The EUCLID project was financially supported by the grant ENER/2017/NUCL/SI2.759174 of the European Commission.

Funding

This study has received funding from the European Commission, grant no. ENER/2017/NUCL/SI2.759174.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Protection and Image Processing Systems, Hirslanden AG, Hirslanden Corporate Office, Boulevard Lilienthal 2, 8152, Opfikon-Glattpark, Switzerland

    Alexander A. Schegerer

  2. Department of Medical and Occupational Radiation Protection, Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Neuherberg, Germany

    Alexander A. Schegerer

  3. Paris Descartes University, Paris, France

    Guy Frija

  4. ESTESC - Coimbra Health School, Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy Department, Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Rua 5 de Outubro, S. Martinho do Bispo, 3046-854, Coimbra, Portugal

    Graciano Paulo

  5. Department of Radiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Werner Jaschke

  6. Konstantopoulio General Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Virginia Tsapaki

  7. St Nom la Bretèche, France

    Jacques Repussard

  8. School of Medicine, University of Crete, Iraklion, Crete, Greece

    John Damilakis

Authors
  1. Alexander A. Schegerer
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  2. Guy Frija
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  3. Graciano Paulo
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  4. Werner Jaschke
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  5. Virginia Tsapaki
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  6. Jacques Repussard
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  7. John Damilakis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander A. Schegerer.

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Guarantor

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Prof. Guy Frija.

Conflict of interest

The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article.

Statistics and biometry

One of the authors has significant statistical expertise.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Boards.

Ethical approval

Institutional Review Board approval was obtained.

Methodology

• prospective

• cross-sectional study

• multicenter study

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Schegerer, A.A., Frija, G., Paulo, G. et al. Radiation dose and diagnostic reference levels for four interventional radiology procedures: results of the prospective European multicenter survey EUCLID. Eur Radiol 31, 9346–9360 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-021-08029-y

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