title: The influence of operator position, height and body orientation on eye lens dose in interventional radiology and cardiology: Monte Carlo simulations versus realistic clinical measurements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to provide some practical recommendations to reduce eye lens dose for workers exposed to X-rays in interventional cardiology and radiology and also to propose an eye lens correction factor when lead glasses are used.
  
  
  METHODS
  Monte Carlo simulations are used to study the variation of eye lens exposure with operator position, height and body orientation with respect to the patient and the X-ray tube. The paper also looks into the efficiency of wraparound lead glasses using simulations. Computation results are compared with experimental measurements performed in Spanish hospitals using eye lens dosemeters as well as with data from available literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Simulations showed that left eye exposure is generally higher than the right eye, when the operator stands on the right side of the patient. Operator height can induce a strong dose decrease by up to a factor of 2 for the left eye for 10-cm-taller operators. Body rotation of the operator away from the tube by 45°-60° reduces eye exposure by a factor of 2. The calculation-based correction factor of 0.3 for wraparound type lead glasses was found to agree reasonably well with experimental data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simple precautions, such as the positioning of the image screen away from the X-ray source, lead to a significant reduction of the eye lens dose. Measurements and simulations performed in this work also show that a general eye lens correction factor of 0.5 can be used when lead glasses are worn regardless of operator position, height and body orientation.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Tècniques Energètiques, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Diagonal, 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: sara.principi@upc.edu.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Principi
authors.affiliation: IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP-17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: ENEA - IRP - Radiation Protection Institute, Via Martiri di Monte Sole, 4, 40129 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Agia Paraskevi, Attiki, PO BOX 60092, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carinou
authors.affiliation: IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, BP-17, 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Clairand
authors.affiliation: Institut de Tècniques Energètiques, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Avda. Diagonal, 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ginjaume
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002309:Cardiology / Q000379:methods*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000078329:Workforce; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: Correction factor; Eye lens dose; Interventional radiology; Lead glasses