Radiation safety in the cardiac catheterization laboratory: Operational radiation safety

The goal of the catheterization laboratory radiation safety program is to f acilitate invasive cardiology while simultaneously reducing staff risks to an acceptable level. Achieving this goal requires a balance between the val ue of catheterization to the patient and the associated radiation risk to t he staff, This article introduces the principles of radiation protection as applied in the catheterization laboratory, Prudent conformance to these pr inciples will appropriately reduce radiation risk. Cathet. Cardiovasc, Inte rvent. 47:347-353, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.