14 Ways to Reduce Radiation Exposure in the Cath Lab
In the past, there was not much that could be done to mitigate the X-ray radiation exposure of interventional cardiologists or cath lab staff. Also years ago, the subspecialty of interventional cardiology was new and few people had experience with what happens to cath lab staff exposed to X-rays for 25-30 years over their career. Today, 30 years after interventional cardiology became a subspecialty, the impact of that exposure is coming to light. This has spurred discussions about radiation safety and caused a demand for new ways to reduce staff exposure.
“This is an area where everyone has some anxiety about it, but there are not a lot of people who are doing anything about it. People are now much more conscious about radiation safety than in the past,” explained Emmanouil Brilakis, M.D., Ph.D., director, Center for Complex Coronary Interventions, Minneapolis Heart Institute. He said concern has increased in recent years as interventional procedures have become more complex and last longer, increasing the exposure to staff.
Full story can be found on Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology.
