NEW RADIATION PROTECTION DEVICE FOR INTER VENTIONAL CARDIOLOGISTS

The radiation protection system up to now has been in the form of a le ad glass pane and a lead curtain on the examination table. As new equi pment we used a leaded rubber cover (Pb 0.75 mm) extending from the fo ot to the rib cage of the patient and a 60-cm high and 70-cm wide stan d, reinforced with leaded rubber (Pb 1.0 mm) fixed onto the foot switc h. During the period of 2 months the total radiation dose in 156 coron ary angioplasties and 71 diagnostic heart catheterizations was measure d on the hand, thorax, lower leg and foot of the examiner using ring a nd placet dosimeters. The dose was measured for a further 2 months, du ring 152 coronary angioplasty and 66 diagnostic heart catheterizations without the new extra radiation protection equipment. The catheteriza tion procedure was not basically impeded through the lead cover and th e lead stand. The radiation dose experienced by the examiner was reduc ed by 96.8% on the hand, 98.6% on the thorax, 98.8% on the lower leg, and by 99.5% on the foot.