Asymmetric breast dose in coronary angiography

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate asymmetric radiation dose distribution to the breasts in coronary angiography. Gafchromic XR-QA2 film was used as an area dosimeter to capture the asymmetric dose distribution to the breasts at various tissue depths in an anthropomorphic phantom. A selection of tube angulations were used under a controlled experiment and during a mock coronary angiography procedure. The Gafchromic XR-QA2 film was able to confirm the asymmetric distribution of radiation dose to the breast and provide a normalized breast dose value. The right breast received the majority of dose for most of the tube angulations in the controlled experiment. However the left breast received the most radiation dose during the mock procedure. Asymmetric dose distribution to the breasts is normally not observed if Monte Carlo based simulations are performed because individual breast dose calculations are not available. The application of a typical coronary angiogram determined in the experiment showed the normalized left breast dose is 0.16 mGy/ Gy.cm2 and the right breast dose is 0.08 mGy/ Gy.cm2.