Tungsten-bismuth shielding sheets for radiation safety in fluoroscopy-guided bronchoscopy: a phantom study

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiological Sciences
• Interventional Pulmonology

Background:

• Radiation safety is paramount in fluoroscopy-guided bronchoscopy.
• Standard personal protective equipment (PPE) leaves some areas exposed.
• Existing supplemental shielding has limitations in cost and space.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate tungsten-bismuth (W-Bi) shielding sheets as a cost-effective, deployable alternative for radiation protection.
• To compare the attenuation performance, weight, and cost of W-Bi shielding against traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a C-arm fluoroscope and anthropomorphic phantom for testing.
• Measured scatter radiation at various heights and hand levels.
• Compared lead-acrylic barriers with single to triple layers of W-Bi sheets.

Main Results:

• Lead-acrylic and double-layer W-Bi achieved over 96% dose reduction in most areas.
• Triple-layer W-Bi provided up to 98.8% attenuation, exceeding lead-acrylic in some instances.
• Assistant's hands received the highest unshielded dose, highlighting the need for hand-level protection.

Conclusions:

• Triple-layer W-Bi shielding offers radiation protection comparable or superior to lead-acrylic barriers.
• W-Bi shielding is affordable and easily deployable, making it practical for improving bronchoscopy safety.
• This strategy is particularly beneficial in resource-limited settings.