Abstract
Advances in sectional imaging have led to prolonged x-ray fluoro-assisted therapeutic cardiac catheterizations. Given the frequency of such procedures, limited data are available for patient and staff doses. For certain pediatric cardiac catheterization procedures we examine: (i) effective and organ doses, also the radiogenic and tissue reaction risks and; (ii) staff effective dose during cardiac interventions. At four cardiac catheterization centres, patient doses were measured with a calibrated kerma area product (KAP) meter; staff doses were measured using calibrated TLDs. The mean and range of age (years) and weight (kg) for patients were 4.3 (0.04-14.0) and 10.8 (3.0-46.0) respectively; the overall mean and range of fluoroscopic time (min) was 13.0 (1.4-54.8). For coronary angiography and pacemaker procedures the overall mean and range of cumulative kerma area product (CRAP, cGy.cm(2)) were 350 (12.0-510). The average annual staff dose of 9.0 (7.2-14.4) mSv is relatively low given the current workload. Some patients received high doses approaching the threshold for tissue reactions. Optimisation of radiation dose is required as is follow-up of patients receiving high doses to detect the possibility of tissue reactions.