Operator Pelvic Radiation Exposure During Percutaneous Coronary Procedures

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Physics
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Percutaneous coronary procedures (PCPs) involve significant radiation exposure for operators.
• The pelvic region may receive higher radiation doses than the thorax during PCPs due to proximity to the X-ray source.
• Limited data exists on pelvic radiation exposure for interventional cardiologists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate operator pelvic radiation exposure during percutaneous coronary procedures.
• To compare pelvic radiation doses with thorax radiation doses in interventional cardiologists.
• To assess if vascular access site influences pelvic radiation exposure.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, single-center, observational study (RADIANT study).
• Utilized electronic dosimeters placed at the thorax and a dedicated pelvic dosimeter on a single operator.
• Collected data from 138 procedures with available pelvic dose measurements.

Main Results:

• Pelvic radiation dose (median 40.1 μSv) was significantly higher than thorax dose (median 5.6 μSv).
• Normalized pelvic dose (2.98 μSv/Gy•cm²) was substantially greater than normalized thorax dose (0.33 μSv/Gy•cm²).
• No significant difference in pelvic dose was found across right radial, left radial, or femoral access sites.

Conclusions:

• Operator pelvic radiation exposure during PCPs is significantly higher than thorax exposure.
• Radiation dose to the pelvic region is independent of the vascular access site.
• Highlights the need for enhanced radiation protection strategies for the pelvic region in interventional cardiology.