Radiation dose to patients and personnel during fluoroscopy at percutaneous renal stone extraction

The radiation dose to patients and personnel was estimated during 11 percutaneous renal stone extractions. For the patients the energy imparted, the mean absorbed dose to various organs, and the effective dose equivalent were estimated. For different personnel categories some organ doses and the effective dose equivalent were also estimated. Large differences in the radiation dose between patients were observed. The mean effective dose equivalent to the patient was 4.2 (range 0.6-8.3) mSv, and the energy imparted 285 (range 50-500) mJ. These figures are comparable to those reported for routine colon examination and urography. For the personnel there were also large differences between individuals and categories. The highest radiation dose was received by the radiologist. It was estimated that a radiologist who performs 150 percutaneous renal stone extractions per year will receive a yearly contribution to his/her effective dose equivalent of 2.4 mSv. Even when the contribution from other diagnostic and interventional radiologic procedures is added, the total effective dose equivalent hardly exceeds 5 mSv or 1/10 of the present dose limit for persons engaged in radiologic work. For the hands of the radiologist there is a risk of doses closer to the present limit for single organs or tissues of 500 mSv/year.