Patient dosimetry in abdominal arteriography

This study aims at accurate quantification of x-ray exposure and effective dose to the patient in abdominal arteriography. Using an automatic monitori ng system, all relevant exposure parameters were determined during 172 abdo minal arteriographies. Common projections were extracted for a 'normal' ref erence group of procedures and used in Monte Carlo calculations of dose-are a product to organ dose conversion coefficients. Dose-area product, organ d oses and effective dose were quantified for intravenous and intra-arterial procedures. The large data sets describing exposure could be condensed to a set of 28 common views. New coefficients to convert dose-area product to o rgan equivalent dose and effective dose were calculated for nine views cont ributing approximately 80% to the total dose-area product. The average dose -area product was 32 Gy cm(2) in intravenous procedures and 47 Gy cm(2) in intra-arterial procedures. The corresponding average effective doses to the patient were 4 mSv and 6 mSv respectively (range 2-12 mSv, actual value de pending on procedure type and gender). It is concluded that automatic monit oring of x-ray exposure parameters, complemented by the calculation of Mont e Carlo organ dose conversion coefficients, is a feasible and promising app roach to accurate dosimetry of complex arteriographic procedures.