A Novel Radiation Shield for Interventional Echocardiographers With Application During Structural Heart Disease...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Radiation Safety

Background:

• Interventional echocardiographers face high radiation doses during structural heart disease procedures, particularly in the waist and lower body.
• Existing radiation shields are not practical for transesophageal echocardiography.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel radiation shield for interventional echocardiographers to minimize radiation exposure during structural heart disease procedures.
• To ensure the shield is practical for transesophageal echocardiography.

Main Methods:

• Developed a freestanding radioprotective board prototype with lateral windows.
• Assessed clinical usability and employed Monte Carlo simulations.
• Measured real-life radiation exposure during 193 structural heart disease procedures (mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement).

Main Results:

• Optimal shield window size determined to be 300 mm wide and 200 mm high.
• The shield was used without issues in all procedures.
• Significant reduction in radiation exposure, especially at the waist, was observed with shield use (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• A novel, practical radiation shield was successfully developed for interventional echocardiographers.
• The shield provides sufficient radiation protection during structural heart disease procedures.
• The developed shield is suitable for transesophageal echocardiography monitoring and guidance.