Cardiac catheterization: dosimetry on patients.

Our study was made on 49 patients and we used capsules of lithium fluoride. The average fluoroscopy time was 32 min. and the average cinema film length was 76.5 metres. The relationship between the entry dose, the fluoroscopy time and the length of cinema film allowed us to calculate a fluoroscopy equivalent time (F.E.T) for each patient which was of 51 min. (32 min. + 76/4) as radiation dose of one minute fluoroscopy equal radiation dose of 4 metres of cinema film. The average heart dose was 0.70 X 10(-3) X FET (GY) or 70 mr/min. There was an absence of relation of the exit dosage to the diameter of the patient and a proportionality of the heart dose to the exit dose. Furthermore the maximum eye dose recorded was 200 mrads and the maximum gonadal dose was 350 mrads.