title: Patient radiation doses during coronary interventions in four Croatian hospitals: 4-y comparison.
abstract: The number of coronary interventions increased substantially in the recent years. Although of great benefit to patients, these procedures can subject patients to considerable radiation doses. There is a legal framework for patient dose measurements in Croatia during radiological procedures, but in practice, it applies only occasionally. A quality control manual, established at the University Hospital Osijek, was accepted by other major cardiology centres in Croatia; besides checking the technical characteristics of the device, it provides constant measurement and analysis of patient doses in interventional cardiology. It also includes patient examination for radiation skin injuries in case of dose of >2 Gy. The aim of the study was to determine and compare patient radiation doses during cardiological interventions measured within 4 y in four major cardiology centres with the values proposed by the European Commission and other professional bodies. The local reference dose levels were also set.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Center Sisters of Mercy, Zagreb, Croatia krpan.tomi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krpan
authors.affiliation: University JJ Strossmayer Medical Faculty, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Faj
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Center Sisters of Mercy, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brnić
authors.affiliation: University JJ Strossmayer Medical Faculty, Osijek, Croatia Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Vedrana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baraban
authors.affiliation: University JJ Strossmayer Medical Faculty, Osijek, Croatia Department of Neurology, University Hospital Center Osijek, Osijek, Croatia.
authors.forename: Mihael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mišir
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology / Q000379:methods; D017523:Croatia; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D061214:Patient Safety; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D011482:Protective Devices; D011786:Quality Control; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects