Radiation exposure in the cardiac catheterization lab: Shifting the focus from low dose, to 'no dose' exposure

摘要

Radiation standards geared toward patient and operator safety are becoming extremely important as complex percutaneous coronary, electrophysiological, and structural cardiac interventions continue to increase. Cardiac procedures with the need for fluoroscopic exposure are growing at a rate of 15% per year (1); cardiac and vascular procedures account for about 62% of all fluoroscopic procedures. Along with the primary goal of patient safety, accurate assessment of the risk to the operator and lab staff, as well as and risk-reduction strategies are essential. Radiation safety organizations such as the National Council on Radiation Protection and the International Atomic Energy Agency have focused on creating awareness, establishing database tools, and formulating recommendations toward reducing radiation to the lowest possible level, as well as monitoring the progress toward this goal (2).