Factors that influence radiation dose in percutaneous coronary intervention

To explore the factors that may influence the radiation dose imparted to the patient in PCI, and investigate whether the use of the latest digital X-ray system based on FP detector technology can have an impact on dose.

Demographic and clinical data such as number of lesions treated, number of stents placed, grade of tortuosity, and stage of occlusion, as well as use of double wire and double balloon technique, ostial stenting or bifurcation stenting, and presence of major complications were recorded, together with radiation parameters.

The factors that increased patient radiation dose were (1) patient gender, as men exhibited higher doses than women; (2) complex lesion; (3) increasing number of stents; (4) position of stent; (5) grade of tortuosity; and (6) stage of occlusion. The FP digital system appeared to be settled in a lower-dose rate for fluoroscopy (a factor of 6) and higher for dose per frame in cine (a factor of 3) in comparison with the image intensifier (II) system. There was a marked reduction of DAP when the FP technology was introduced.

More extensive studies should be performed in the future so as to further investigate the influence of the FP detector in IC.