Eye Lens Exposure to Medical Staff Performing Electrophysiology Procedures: Dose Assessment and Correlation to Patient Dose

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the patient exposure and staff eye dose levels during implantation procedures for all types of pacemaker therapy devices performed under fluoroscopic guidance and to investigate potential correlation between patients and staff dose levels. The mean eye dose during pacemaker/defibrillator implementation was 12 mu Sv for the first operator, 8.7 mu Sv for the second operator/nurse and 0.50 mu Sv for radiographer. Corresponding values for cardiac resynchronisation therapy procedures were 30, 26 and 2.0 mu Sv, respectively. Significant (p LT 0.01) correlation between the eye dose and the kerma-area product was found for the first operator and radiographers, but not for other staff categories. The study revealed eye dose per procedure and eye dose normalised to patient dose indices for different staff categories and provided an input for radiation protection in electrophysiology procedures.