A Real-Time Skin Dose Tracking System for Biplane Neuro-Interventional Procedures

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Radiology
• Radiation Dosimetry

Background:

• Fluoroscopic procedures, particularly in neuro-interventions, involve complex radiation exposure.
• Accurate real-time monitoring of patient skin dose is crucial for radiation safety.
• Existing methods may not provide sufficient real-time, spatially resolved dose information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a biplane dose-tracking system (Biplane-DTS) for real-time skin dose display.
• To provide clinicians with visual feedback on cumulative and instantaneous skin dose distribution.
• To improve radiation safety during neuro-interventional fluoroscopic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Biplane-DTS integrating geometry and exposure data from dual x-ray gantries.
• Calculated skin dose for individual points on a 3D patient model, displaying cumulative dose as color maps.
• Utilized calibration factors with PMMA and head phantoms, incorporating backscatter and beam angulation corrections.

Main Results:

• Biplane-DTS provides real-time visualization of skin dose distribution on a 3D patient graphic.
• The system displays overall peak skin dose (PSD), FOV-PSD, and dose rates.
• Calculated doses showed agreement with ionization chamber measurements within -3% to +7% (SD < 3%).

Conclusions:

• The developed Biplane-DTS accurately estimates patient skin dose during neuro-interventional procedures.
• Real-time dose visualization aids in managing and optimizing radiation exposure.
• This system represents a significant advancement in radiation safety for interventional radiology.