title: Radiation exposure of the radiologist's eye lens during CT-guided interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the past decade the number of computed tomography (CT)-guided procedures performed by interventional radiologists have increased, leading to a significantly higher radiation exposure of the interventionalist's eye lens. Because of growing concern that there is a stochastic effect for the development of lens opacification, eye lens dose reduction for operators and patients should be of maximal interest.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the interventionalist's equivalent eye lens dose during CT-guided interventions and to relate the results to the maximum of the recommended equivalent dose limit.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 89 CT-guided interventions (e.g. biopsies, drainage procedures, etc.) measurements of eye lens' radiation doses were obtained from a dedicated dosimeter system for scattered radiation. The sensor of the personal dosimeter system was clipped onto the side of the lead glasses which was located nearest to the CT gantry. After the procedure, radiation dose (µSv), dose rate (µSv/min) and the total exposure time (s) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all 89 interventions, the median total exposure lens dose was 3.3 µSv (range, 0.03-218.9 µSv) for a median exposure time of 26.2 s (range, 1.1-94.0 s). The median dose rate was 13.9 µSv/min (range, 1.1-335.5 µSv/min).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Estimating 50-200 CT-guided interventions per year performed by one interventionalist, the median dose of the eye lens of the interventional radiologist does not exceed the maximum of the ICRP-recommended equivalent eye lens dose limit of 20 mSv per year.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Faculty, University of Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heusch
authors.forename: Patric
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kröpil
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buchbender
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aissa
authors.forename: Rotem S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lanzman
authors.forename: Till A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Heusner
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ewen
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antoch
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fürst
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: CT-guided interventions; Dose; eye lens; radiation exposure