title: Exposures in interventional radiology using Monte Carlo simulation coupled with virtual anthropomorphic phantoms.
abstract: In this work we investigated the way in which conversion coefficients from air kerma-area product for effective doses (CCE) and entrance skin doses (CCESD) in interventional radiology (IR) are affected by variations in the filtration, projection angle of the X-ray beam, lead curtain attached to the surgical table, and suspended shield lead glass in regular conditions of medical practice. Computer simulations were used to model an exposure scenario similar to a real IR room. The patient and the physician were represented by MASH virtual anthropomorphic phantoms, inserted in the MCNPX 2.7.0 radiation transport code. In all cases, the addition of copper filtration also increased the CCE and CCESD values. The highest CCE values were obtained for lateral, cranial and caudal projections. In these projections, the X-ray tube was located above the table, and more scattered radiation reached the middle and upper portions of the physician trunk, where most of the radiosensitive organs are located. Another important result of this study was to show that the physician's protection is 358% higher when the lead curtain and suspended shield lead glasses are used. The values of CCE and CCESD, presented in this study, are an important resource for calculation of effective doses and entrance skin doses in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (IPEN-CNEN/SP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: wssantos@ipen.br.
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (INFIS/UFU), Caixa Postal 593, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: lucio.neves@ufu.br.
authors.forename: Lucio P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (INFIS/UFU), Caixa Postal 593, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: anapaula.perini@ufu.br.
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristovão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: wbfisica@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Walmir
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Belinato
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear (IPEN-CNEN/SP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: lcaldas@ipen.br.
authors.forename: Linda V E
authors.initials: LVE
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristovão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: ablohem@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Albérico B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristovão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: afmaia@ufs.br.
authors.forename: Ana F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Maia
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010820:Physicians; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects
keywords: Computational dosimetry; Interventional radiology; Virtual anthropomorphic phantom