Radiation Exposures Associated With Radial and Femoral Coronary Interventions

The volume of cardiac diagnostic procedures involving the use of ionizing radiation has increased rapidly in recent years, and the radiation exposure experienced by patients undergoing any medical imaging procedure has recently obtained a growing attention. Transradial (TR) access is being increasingly used worldwide for diagnostic coronary angiography (CA), and percutaneous coronary interventions, since it offers several benefits as compared to transfemoral (TF) access, such as by reducing hemostasis time and vascular complications, increased patient comfort, reduced hospital stay, and lower cost. In contrast, TR CA is thought to be associated with increased radiation exposure parameters compared with the traditional TF access. Although experienced operators may almost counterbalance this shortcoming, the increase in radiation exposure associated with TR approach seems not to be present in most clinical settings.