Radiation exposure of patients during mini C-arm use: an audit in 2032 procedures

This study aimed to audit large quantities of mini C-arm data used in hand and wrist surgery and to analyse what effect the type and anatomical location of procedures had on screening time and dose area product. Of a total of 2032 procedures, the median screening time was 11 seconds and median dose area product was 0.75 cGycm². The third quartile value for screening time was 23 seconds and dose area product was 1.62 cGycm². The median screening time for closed procedures was 7 seconds and the dose area product was 0.57 cGycm². The median screening time for open surgery was 23 seconds with a median dose area product of 1.45 cGycm². The data for steroid injection procedures were similar to those of the closed procedures, with a median screening time of 7 seconds and dose area product of 0.45 cGycm². We found no significant differences in the screening time or dose area product between procedures on the wrist and forearm compared with the hand and digits. Level of evidence: III.