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SU‐FF‐P‐07: Monitor and Reducing Patient Radiation Exposure From Fluoroscopically‐Guided Procedures in a Teaching Hospital
Author(s) -
Kuan H,
Rivera H,
Ferretti J,
Lawson W
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.2760644
Subject(s) - medicine , medical physics , dosimetry , radiation exposure , interventional radiology , ambulatory , radiation dose , radiology , medical emergency , nuclear medicine , surgery
Purpose: Radiation dosimetry information from fluoro‐guided procedures was monitored timely for patient safety and for training of residents. Methods: Fluoro‐guided procedures were regularly conducted in our hospital‐based radiology core area (R/F rooms for GI, BE and other procedures), operating rooms, radiology special procedure suites, cardiac catheterization labs, and out‐patient clinics (ambulatory surgery, orthopedics, pain management, urodynomics, etc). Quality control and patient dosimety programs were managed by medical physicists. Results: Records on fluoro times/techniques for all procedures were reviewed on daily basis, and results discussed with respective attendings/residents who performed the procedure. Analysis of accrued data showed that all residents, after a learning period, were able to complete a general procedure in less than 5 minutes fluoro time. Interventional procedures were found to have some patient exposures at high radiation doses. Conclusions: Vigilant monitoring and closely interacting with practicing physicians and technologists were essential in helping to improve a physician's technique toward reducing fluoro times necessary. Additional attention was warranted to patient exposure in interventional procedures since some high doses were found.