Redundant protective barriers: minimizing operator occupational risk.

Background: The ubiquitous use of less invasive therapeutic angiographic procedures has created the milieu for long-term occupational risk of cancer and genetic defects. This study set out to determine the relative effectiveness of redundant radiation protective barriers and their impact on operator total-body-ionizing radiation exposure in the catheterization suite.

Methods: Thermolucent dosimeter x-irradiation was measured inside and outside personal and movable protective barriers used concurrently during 50 consecutive procedures by a single operator.