Radiation safety is of utmost importance in the catheterization lab, as invasive cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures can contribute significantly to a patient’s overall radiation exposure. In the cath lab there is an increasing need for operators and staff to find ways to minimize their exposure in every case until radiation is at a level that is as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). One of the ways to limit radiation exposures to staff is to increase the distance between the operator and the source of radiation. The ACIST CVi® Contrast Delivery System makes it easier to step back, moving one’s hand farther away from the radiation source during the image acquisition. This task is more difficult to do with the simple hand manifold. Continue reading to learn more about radiation safety in the Cath lab using CVi® along with other important measures.
Important measures that can be taken to reduce radiation exposure specific to the X-ray imaging system are listed below:
- Stay off the pedal
- Maximize table height and source to intensifier distance (SID)
- Use the appropriate image size
- Use collimation and filters
- Balance kVp and mA
- Used pulsed fluoro
- Use the lowest frame rate possible
- Use the tools provided to determine dose
- Think about the angles used for the procedure
- Use fluoroscopy storage
