Radiation protection in interventional radiology

T he British Journal of Radiology, 70 (1997), 325–326 © 1997 The British Institute of Radiology Commentary Radiation protection in interventional radiology K FAULKNER Regional Medical Physics Department, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6BE, UK Introduction Furthermore, this information is usually displayed at the operator’s console where it cannot be seen In recent years there has been an increase in by the interventionalist undertaking the examin- the number, type and complexity of interventional ation. Unfortunately, total

elapsed fluoroscopy radiology procedures. The impetus behind this time does not correlate very well with maximum rapid and continuing expansion has been the desire skin entrance dose. The latter quantity being for improved, more cost-effective medicine, in dependent on the automatic dose-rate control set- which the patient can look forward to an improved ting selected, patient’s size, focus–skin distance and prognosis. Often patients having interventional the period of time that the area of skin was radiology procedures are treated as either out- irradiated. Equipment developments are required patients or day cases, whereas the alternative surgi- to enable the interventionalist to be provided with cal technique would require hospitalization. This an on-line display which provides a better indi- expansion in interventional radiology has occurred cation of the potential onset of deterministic effects. in many countries worldwide, irrespective of the Extended fluoroscopy times, sometimes coupled type of system for health care delivery, because of with higher than average fluoroscopy currents can the many benefits. lead to an increased risk of non-deterministic In the main, interventional procedures are charac- effects such as leukaemia in which the probability terized by having extended fluoroscopy times, and of the effect is proportional to the dose. The...

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