Does a flat panel detector reduce the patient radiation dose in interventional cardiology?

An internal audit has been performed to evaluate the patient radiation dose in the clinical use of X-ray cardiac flat panel detector (FPD) systems. Fluoroscopy and image acquisition (cine mode) programs are optimised for low-dose settings. The diagnostic and therapeutic interventional cardiac procedures are performed at 6 pulse s(-1) for fluoroscopy and 15 frames s(-1) for image acquisition.

Changing from image intensifier to flat detector technology for interventional cardiology procedures: a practical point of view.

A small-scale internal audit has been used to evaluate the impact of the use of a dynamic flat panel detector in the clinical routine in the National Interventional Cardiology Centre in Luxembourg. The parameters tested during commissioning and constancy control of an X-ray system, the introduction of new clinical protocols, the patient and the personal staff dosimetry were considered. The technical parameters tested by the hospital physicist stay the same as for the image intensifier.

Reference levels at European level for cardiac interventional procedures.

In interventional cardiology, a wide variation in patient dose for the same type of procedure has been recognised by different studies. Variation is almost due to procedure complexity, equipment performance, procedure protocol and operator skill. The SENTINEL consortium has performed a survey in nine european centres collecting information on near 2000 procedures, and a new set of reference levels (RLs) for coronary angiography and angioplasty and diagnostic electrophysiology has been assessed for air kerma-area product: 45, 85 and 35 Gy cm2, effective dose: 8, 15 and 6 mSv, cumulative dose at interventional reference point: 650 and 1500 mGy, fluoroscopy time: 6.

Survey on performance assessment of cardiac angiography systems.

Advances in imaging technology have facilitated the development of increasingly complex interventional cardiac equipment. Consequently, there is a need for definitive equipment requirements. The aim of the study is to assess the performances of different cardiac angiographic systems.

Patient dose in interventional radiology: a European survey.

Patient doses for a few common fluoroscopy-guided procedures in interventional radiology (IR) (excluding cardiology) were collected from a few radiological departments in 13 European countries. The major aim was to evaluate patient doses for the basis of the reference levels. In total, data for 20 procedures for about 1300 patients were collected.