SKIN DOSE MAPPING IN INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY: A PRACTICAL SOLUTION.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Radiation-induced tissue reactions are a concern in interventional cardiology (IC).
• Accurate patient dosimetry is crucial for managing these risks.
• Many current fluoroscopy units lack Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Radiation Dose Structured Report capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an offline skin dose mapping application for peak skin dose (PSD) assessment.
• To validate the application's accuracy by comparing its results with XR-RV3 Gafchromic film measurements.
• To provide a dosimetry solution for fluoroscopy units without DICOM dose reporting.

Main Methods:

• Developed an offline application utilizing DICOM headers for PSD estimation.
• Performed skin dose mapping using the developed application.
• Compared the application's simulated skin dose maps with XR-RV3 Gafchromic film measurements for common IC procedures.

Main Results:

• The developed application achieved a mean deviation of 8.7 ± 26.3% compared to XR-RV3 Gafchromic film measurements.
• Simulated skin dose maps generated by the application showed good agreement with Gafchromic film data.
• The application provides a reliable method for PSD assessment in IC procedures.

Conclusions:

• The offline skin dose mapping application is an effective solution for PSD assessment in interventional cardiology.
• This application serves as a practical and suitable alternative to XR-RV3 Gafchromic film, especially for units lacking DICOM dose reporting.
• Optimized and personalized dosimetry can be achieved, potentially reducing radiation-induced tissue reactions.