title: Patient radiation exposure during carotid artery stenting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main purpose of this study was to document the radiation doses to patients during carotid stenting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluoroscopy and exposure time, air kerma and dose-area product during carotid artery stenting in 160 patients were retrospectively reviewed with regard to body mass index, degree of stenosis and use of cerebral protection devices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total air kerma was lower than 0.5 Gy in 80%, 0.5-1 Gy in 17% and higher than 1 Gy (maximum 1.2) in 3% of patients. Mean total dose-area product value for carotid stenting was 54 Gy cm(2). The mean air kerma (fluoroscopy), air kerma (exposure), total air kerma and dose-area product (fluoroscopy), dose-area product (exposure), total dose-area product of patients with body mass index within the range 25-29.9 and with body mass index >30 were significantly increased compared to that of patients with body mass index 18-24.9 (H = 40.2, df = 2; p = 0.0000001 and p = 0.000003, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carotid artery stenting is a relatively safe radiological procedure in terms of the radiation dose acquired by the patient. The main factors contributing to possible radiation overdosing are body mass index value and complexity of the carotid lesion. Proper preoperative planning in obese and complicated patients may reduce the fluoroscopy time and contribute to reduced dose acquisition.
authors: Department of General and Vascular Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland goranm@gazeta.pl.
authors: Michał-Goran
authors: MG
authors: Stanišić
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Majewska
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Makałowski
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Juszkat
authors: Department of Biomedical Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Magdalena
authors: M
authors: Błaszak
authors: Department of General and Vascular Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Wacław
authors: W
authors: Majewski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents
keywords: Carotid artery stenting; air kerma; dose-area product; radiation exposure; radiological safety