OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION DOSES TO OPERATORS PERFORMING CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION PROCEDURES.

This article discusses the radiation doses received by operators during diagnostic fluoroscopic procedures for guided cardiac catheterization. The authors used meta-analysis to estimate the exposure, dose measurement methods, operational features, fluoroscopy system used and radiation protection features used. They reported temporal trends since the early 1970’s. They concluded that dose reductions due to improvements in technology Appears to have been offset by the increased complexity of medical procedures. They recommended standardization of dosimetric methods to determine how well medical radiation workers are being protected from radiation exposure.