Patient radiation exposure during transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures

To describe patient radiation utilisation during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on a series of consecutive patients.

Data on radiation exposure were prospectively collected for consecutive patients undergoing TAVR and percutaneous coronary interventions at our centre. Radiation dose during the procedure was recorded using the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reference point (Ka,r) and the dose area product (PKA). In addition to quantifying overall radiation doses during TAVR, radiation exposure during transfemoral (TF) (n=79) and transapical (TA) (n=26) cases was compared. The median radiation dose during TAVR was 1,639 mGy (983-2,420), or 188 (106-321) Gy*cm2. Radiation dose was significantly lower among TA patients using either the reference point (TA: 946 [777-1,261] vs. TF: 1,932 [1,383-2,614] mGy; p<0.001) or the dose area product (TA: 89 [60-115] vs. TF: 236 [164-338] Gy*cm2; p<0.001). Fluoroscopy time was lower for TA patients (TA: 10 [8-11] vs. TF: 30 [24-34] minutes; p<0.001). Operators experience did not affect radiation exposure for TF cases.

Radiation exposure during TAVR appears similar to other percutaneous coronary interventions of moderate complexity. Radiation doses were significantly lower for TA procedures. A higher dose of radiation in TF patients may be related to additional imaging requirements to optimise percutaneous vascular access and closure.