Track, calculate and optimise eye lens doses of interventional cardiologists using mEyeDose and mEyeDose_X.

The European epidemiological study EURALOC aimed to establish a dose response relationship for low dose radiation induced eye lens opacities using interventional cardiologists as the study group. Within the EURALOC project, two dosimetry methodologies were developed serving as the basis for cumulative eye lens dose assessment. Besides being the cornerstone of the epidemiological part of the project, these dosimetry methodologies were also used to develop two calculation tools, 'mEyeDose' and 'mEyeDose_X' which enable to track, calculate, optimise and analyse eye lens doses in interventional cardiology.

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.

An investigation of flat panel equipment variables on image quality with a dedicated cardiac phantom.

Image quality (IQ) evaluation plays a key role in the process of optimization of new x-ray systems. Ideally, this process should be supported by real clinical images, but ethical issues and differences in anatomy and pathology of patients make it impossible. Phantom studies might overcome these issues.

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.