Operator eye doses during computed tomography fluoroscopic lung biopsy.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Physics
• Radiation Protection

Background:

• CT fluoroscopy is crucial for lung biopsies.
• Ocular radiation exposure is a concern for interventional radiologists.
• Understanding factors influencing eye dose is vital for radiation safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate peak entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) to the eyes during CT fluoroscopy lung biopsy.
• To assess the impact of lead glasses, exposure parameters (kVp, mA), head rotation, and height on peak ESAK.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two phantoms (patient and radiologist) with a 16-slice CT scanner.
• Measured peak ESAK to the radiologist's eye using a dosimeter.
• Varied lead glasses, kVp (120/135), mA (10/20/30), and phantom rotation angles.

Main Results:

• Peak ESAK was significantly lower with lead glasses (p ≤ 0.001).
• ESAK increased with head rotation towards the gantry (2.42 μGy at 120° to 10.54 μGy at 30°, p = 0.001).
• Higher kVp and mA settings substantially increased peak ESAK (p ≤ 0.005).

Conclusions:

• Lead glasses are effective in reducing ocular radiation dose during CT fluoroscopy.
• Radiologist head rotation, kVp, and mA are critical factors influencing eye radiation exposure.
• Optimizing these parameters is essential for minimizing radiation risk to the eyes.