What is the radiation exposure to patients during a gynecoradiologic procedure?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the risk of radiation exposure to infertility patients during a gynecoradiologic procedure.


METHODS
Retrospective clinical study.


METHODS
Medical school-affiliated infertility center.


METHODS
Three hundred thirty-two consecutive infertility patients undergoing a gynecoradiologic procedure.


METHODS
Patients underwent a gynecoradiologic procedure as part of their infertility workup and the fluoroscopic exposure time was analyzed.


METHODS
The fluoroscopic exposure (rad time) during gynecoradiologic procedures, including hysterosalpingogram (HSG), selective salpingography, tubal catheterization, and others.


RESULTS
The rad time (mean +/- SD) was 63 +/- 54 seconds for normal HSG (n = 94, range 17 to 404 seconds), 100 +/- 61 seconds for abnormal HSG (n = 53, range 28 to 272 seconds), 111 +/- 57 seconds for unilateral selective salpingography (n = 36, range 31 to 324 seconds), 142 +/- 74 seconds for bilateral selective salpingography (n = 87, range 40 to 430 seconds), 176 +/- 77 seconds for unilateral tubal catheterization (n = 27, range 70 to 342 seconds), and 239 +/- 82 seconds for bilateral tubal catheterization (n = 30, range 110 to 381 seconds). Five patients had other procedures, such as lysis of intrauterine adhesions (n = 2) and resection of an uterine septum (n = 3), for which the rad time was in a range of 180 to 300 seconds.


CONCLUSIONS
The radiation exposure of patients during a gynecoradiologic procedure, using previously described standard techniques, is well within established margins of safety.
Karande
V C
VC
Division of GynecoRadiology, University of Illinois at Chicago 60610, USA.
Pratt
D E
DE
Balin
M S
MS
Levrant
S G
SG
Morris
R S
RS
Gleicher
N
N
D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011827:Radiation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D013997:Time Factors