RADIATION DOSES TO THE EYE LENS AND FOREHEAD OF INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGISTS: HOW HIGH AND ON WHAT GROUNDS?

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Occupational Health
• Radiology

Background:

• Interventional radiologists (IRs) are exposed to significant radiation during procedures.
• Protecting the eye lens and forehead from radiation is critical for IRs' long-term health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure and evaluate radiation doses to the eye lens and forehead of interventional radiologists.
• To assess the risk of exceeding occupational dose limits for eye lens exposure.

Main Methods:

• Utilized thermoluminescence dosemeters to measure radiation doses in 6 IRs across 96 procedures.
• Included lower-limb percutaneous transluminal angioplasties, embolisations/chemoembolisations, and vertebroplasties.
• Correlated eye lens doses with forehead doses.

Main Results:

• Vertebroplasty procedures resulted in the highest left eye lens dose (1576 μSv) for the primary operator.
• A linear correlation was observed between left/right eye doses and left/right forehead doses.
• Workload estimations indicated that occupational eye lens dose limits can be easily exceeded.

Conclusions:

• Personalized, routine monitoring of the left eye dose for interventional radiologists is essential.
• Left eye dose measurements reliably estimate ipsilateral forehead doses and provide valid estimations for the contralateral side.
• Findings highlight the need for enhanced radiation protection strategies for IRs.