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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Optocardiography and Electrophysiology Studies of Ex Vivo Langendorff-perfused Hearts
Published on: November 7, 2019
[Experimental study of the influence on pacemakers of X-rays from angiocardiography equipment]
Osamu Nakamura1, Giichirou Nakaya, Susumu Ogashiwa
1Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Radiological Technology, Nihon Institute of Medical Science.
Abstract:
We performed an experimental study of the influence on pacemakers (PM) of X-rays from the angiocardiography equipment. (1) We used one PM of DDD mode in this study. (2) The PM was irradiated under two exposure levels: one the standard dose and the other the maximum dose in the angiocardiography study situation. (3) We set the pacing lead wires to the bilateral atria and ventricles in Irnich's human body model. (4) We set two irradiation fields, one with a lead block on the PM and the other without the lead block. The result showed that when the PM was included in the irradiation field and the exposure level was of the maximum dose, the influence of irradiation on the PM was that of level 2 as classified by a research report by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The absorbed dose of the PM was 93.4 mGy under these conditions. We confirmed that radiation dose does not affect a pacemaker with pacing lead wire. However, it acts on the generator of the PM owing to the direct photoelectric effect. When there were many dose rates (or total radiation dose), an obstacle occurred.
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