[Comparison of radiation exposure in common hepatic interventions : A retrospective analysis of DeGIR registry data]

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and biliary interventions are common procedures.

In this retrospective study, the radiation exposure of patients undergoing hepatic intervention will be analyzed and compared depending on the type and objective of the intervention.

This is an analysis of 7003 data sets of performed TACEs and biliary interventions from the DeGIR registry for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. The dose area product (DAP), fluoroscopy time (FT), type of intervention, and anatomically defined target were recorded.

Data with documented radiation doses were available for 4985 TACEs and for 2018 biliary interventions. For biliary interventions the median DAP was 2594 (interquartile range [IQR] = 1174-5858) cGycm². For TACE, the median DAP was 11,632 [IQR = 5530-22,800] cGycm² and significantly higher compared to biliary interventions (p < 0.0001). Biliary interventions with the highest DAP take place at the common hepatic duct; procedures with the longest FT were registered at the hepatic duct bifurcation.

The individual radiation exposure during liver interventions is less dependent of the complexity of the procedure or the fluoroscopy time, but rather on the type of intervention and the anatomic target. The presented data can help to approximately estimate the radiation exposure in advance when planning an intervention.