title: Variations of patient doses in interventional examinations at different angiographic units.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analyzed doses for various angiographic procedures using different X-ray systems in order to assess dose variations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dose-area product (DAP), skin doses from thermoluminescent dosimeters and air kerma measurements of 308 patients (239 diagnostic and 69 interventional) were assessed for five different angiographic units. All fluoroscopic and radiographic exposure parameters were recorded online for single and multiprojection studies. Radiation outputs of each X-ray system were also measured for all the modes of exposure using standard protocols for such measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In general, the complexity of the angiographic procedure was found to be the most important reason for high radiation doses. Skill of the radiologist, management of the exposure parameters and calibration of the system are the other factors to be considered. Lateral cerebral interventional studies carry the highest risk for deterministic effects on the lens of the eye. Effective doses were calculated from DAP measurements and maximum fatal cancer risk factors were found for carotid studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventional radiologists should measure patient doses for their examinations. If there is a lack of necessary instrumentation for this purpose, then published dose reports should be used in order to predict the dose levels from some of the exposure parameters. Patient dose information should include not only the measured quantity but also the measured radiation output of the X-ray unit and exposure parameters used during radiographic and fluoroscopic exposures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Physics, Ankara University Faculty of Engineering, 06100 Tandoğan, Ankara, Turkey. bor@eng.ankara.edu.tr
authors.forename: Doğan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bor
authors.forename: Türkay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toklu
authors.forename: Turan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olğar
authors.forename: Tanzer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sancak
authors.forename: Saruhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cekirge
authors.forename: Baran
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.forename: Sadik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bilgiç
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013819:Thermoluminescent Dosimetry