Radiation protection
Summary
Fluoroscopically-guided diagnosis and intervention amongst adult cardiology patients account for 12% of all radiological examinations performed, and 48% of their total collective dose. On average, a diagnostic invasive coronary angiogram corresponds to a radiation exposure for the patient of about 350 chest x-rays (range 100-800), while coronary intervention and cardiac radiofrequency ablation correspond to 750 chest x-rays (range 350-2,650). Interventional cardiologists have an exposure per annum two to three times higher than that of radiologists. This equates to an annual exposure of 250 chest x-rays per practitioner each year. A reduction in occupational doses by a factor of ten can be achieved simply by an intensive training programme. European law mandates that it is the responsibility of all physicians to minimise the hazard of radiation injury to their patients, to other staff and to themselves. This is further reinforced by professional guidelines. A well-trained interventional cardiologist should not be afraid of radiation, but must fear, instead, radiation “unawareness”.
Radiation in context
Radiation is an essential part of daily life. From birth, we are exposed to radiation from cosmic rays in our surroundings as well as from food and drink that contain traces of radioactivity. In fact, even the human...
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