INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGICAL PROCEDURES MOST PRONE TO CAUSE HIGH PATIENT PEAK SKIN DOSES BASED ON REVIEW OF 7607...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Physics
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Interventional radiological procedures carry a risk of radiation-induced tissue injuries.
• Assessing peak skin doses is crucial for patient safety and risk management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify interventional radiological procedures with the highest risk of exceeding radiation dose thresholds.
• To evaluate the probability of radiation-induced tissue injuries in patients.

Main Methods:

• Review of data from 7607 patients over a 3-year period.
• Identification of patients with cumulative air kerma at a reference point (Ka,r) exceeding 3 Gy.
• Questionnaire-based data collection on observed tissue injuries in affected patients.

Main Results:

• 145 patients (1.9%) exceeded the 3 Gy threshold, exclusively during vascular procedures.
• Procedures with the highest incidence included liver radioembolization (SIRT), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), and endovascular abdominal aortic repair (EVAR).
• 10 patients (0.6%) reported tissue injuries, a rate approximately three times lower than anticipated, with severity often unrelated to expected levels.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of patients undergoing interventional radiology may exceed radiation dose thresholds.
• While tissue injuries are less frequent than predicted, vigilant monitoring and dose management remain essential.
• The severity of radiation-induced tissue injuries may not always correlate with the dose received.