Radiation dose survey in a paediatric cardiac catheterisation laboratory equipped with flat-panel detectors

• Published in: Radiation protection dosimetry 2008, Vol.129 (1-3), p.91-95
• Main Authors: Dragusin, O., Gewillig, M., Desmet, W., Smans, K., Struelens, L., Bosmans, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Cardiac Catheterization - methods; Child; Child, Preschool; Data Collection; Fluoroscopy; Heart Defects, Congenital - diagnosis; Heart Defects, Congenital - radiotherapy; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Radiography, Thoracic; Radiometry - instrumentation; Radiometry - methods
• ISSN: 0144-8420; 1742-3406
• DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncn035

Flat-panel X-ray detectors for fluoroscopy represent a modern imaging equipment that is being implemented in paediatric cardiac catheterisation laboratories. Infants and children represent a group of patients with a high radiosensitivity. A survey of 273 (126 diagnostic and 147 therapeutic) paediatric catheterisations was performed to investigate the radiation doses delivered by the new X-ray system. Statistical parameters (75th, 50th and 25th percentiles) of dose-area product (DAP) and fluoroscopy time are reported for patients divided into six age groups: 0–30 d, >1–12 m, >1–3, >3–5, >5–10 and >10–15 y. For accurate risk estimation, effective dose (E) has been determined for all patients using the PCXMC software. For diagnostic procedures, the third quartile of E ranges from 11.3 mSv for newborns to 7 mSv for children of 10–15 y. Therapeutic procedures are more complex than diagnostic. Consequently, the third quartile of E is 22.6 mSv (0–30 d), 18.6 (>1–12 m), 13.3 (>1–3 y), 21.5 (>3–5 y), 17.8 (>5–10 y) and 34.1 mSv (>10–15 y). Dose conversion factors, which relate the DAP and E, have been estimated for each age group. The results of this study may serve as a first step in the optimisation process, in order to make full use of the dose reduction potential of flat-panel systems.