AI Article Synopsis

  • The study aimed to assess how inaccuracies in fluoroscopy systems and table attenuation affect reported radiation dose values during lumbar epidural injections.
  • Researchers gathered detailed patient exposure data and evaluated fluoroscope dosimetry accuracy in relation to factors like x-ray technique and table positioning.
  • Results showed that system-reported dose values typically overestimated patient exposure by about 34%, emphasizing the need for corrections in dosimetry for reliable radiation assessments.

Article Abstract

Objective: The goal of the study was to determine the potential impact of system inaccuracies and table attenuation on fluoroscope-reported dose values.

Design: An Institutional Review Board-approved study was conducted to collect detailed acquisition and patient exposure data for fluoroscopy-guided lumbar epidural injections.

Background: System-reported dosimetry values, especially the air Kinetic Energy Released per unit MAss and dose-area product metrics, are routinely used for estimating the radiation burden to patients undergoing fluoroscopy-guided procedures. However, these metrics do not account for other factors, such as acquisition geometry, where the table may attenuate a substantial fraction of the x-ray intensity, and system dosimetry inaccuracies, which are only required to be accurate within ±35%.

Methods: Acquisition data from 46 patients undergoing fluoroscopy-guided lumbar epidural injections were collected to better estimate the true incident dose-area product. Gantry angles, x-ray technique factors, and field sizes were collected to characterize each procedure. Additionally, the fluoroscope dosimetry accuracy and table attenuation properties were evaluated as a function of kVp to generate the correction factors necessary for accurate dosimetry estimates.

Results: The system-reported values overestimated the total patient entrance dose-area product by an average of 34% (13-44%). Errors may be substantially higher for systems with less accurate fluoroscopes or more anterior-posterior projections. Correcting system-reported dosimetry values for systematic inaccuracies and variability can substantially improve fluoroscopic dose values.

Conclusions: Including corrections for system output inaccuracies and acquisition factors such as table attenuation is necessary for any reliable assessment of radiation burden to patients associated with fluoroscopy-guided procedures.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pm/pny172DOI Listing

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