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Cumulative Radiation Exposure Post Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
Shreepad H Asundi1, Mark P Plummer1,2, Krishnaswamy Sundararajan1,2
1Department of Intensive Care, Royal Adelaide Hospital, 5000, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Clinical Neuroradiology
|March 31, 2025
Summary
Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) undergo significant medical radiation exposure. Many survivors exceed thresholds for radiation-induced eye damage, necessitating strategies to reduce cumulative radiation doses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients frequently undergo multiple diagnostic imaging studies involving ionizing radiation.
- Cumulative radiation exposure is linked to long-term health risks, including deterministic and stochastic harm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the cumulative radiation dose received by patients during the acute phase following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Main Methods:
- A single-center, retrospective observational study included adult patients admitted to the ICU for aSAH management over five years.
- Radiation doses were calculated using institution-specific conversion coefficients and National Cancer Institute dosimetry tools.
Main Results:
- 276 patients were analyzed; 80% survived to discharge.
- The median cumulative effective radiation dose was 17.7 mSv.
- 59% of patients exceeded the 500 mSv threshold for radiation-induced eye damage.
Conclusions:
- Survivors of aSAH experience substantial medical radiation exposure.
- Ocular tissues are particularly vulnerable, with a high percentage of patients receiving doses known to induce lens damage.
- Strategies to minimize incidental and cumulative radiation exposure in aSAH patients are crucial.
