Purpose
To determine whole body and hand radiation exposure to the hand surgeon wearing a
lead apron during routine intraoperative use of the mini C-arm fluoroscope.
Methods
Four surgeons (3 hand attending surgeons and 1 hand fellow) monitored their radiation
exposure for a total of 200 consecutive cases (50 cases per surgeon) requiring mini
C-arm fluoroscopy. Each surgeon measured radiation exposure with a badge dosimeter
placed on the outside breast pocket of the lead apron (external whole body exposure),
a second badge dosimeter under the lead apron (shielded whole body exposure), and
a ring dosimeter (hand exposure).
Results
Completed records were noted in 198 cases, with an average fluoroscopy time of 133.52
seconds and average cumulative dose of 19,260 rem-cm2 per case. The total measured radiation exposures for the (1) external whole body
exposure dosimeters were 16 mrem (for shallow depth), 7 mrem (for eye depth), and
less than 1 mrem (for deep depth); (2) shielded whole body badge dosimeters recorded
less than 1 mrem; and (3) ring dosimeters totaled 170 mrem. The total radial exposure
for 4 ring dosimeters that had registered a threshold of 30 mrem or more of radiation
exposure was 170 mrem at the skin level, for an average of 42.5 mrem per dosimeter
ring or 6.3 mrem per case.
Conclusions
This study of whole body and hand radiation exposure from the mini C-arm includes
the largest number of surgical cases in the published literature. The measured whole
body and hand radiation exposure received by the hand surgeon from the mini C-arm
represents a minimal risk of radiation, based on the current National Council on Radiation
Protection and Management standards of annual dose limits (5,000 mrem per year for
whole body and 50,000 mrem per year to the extremities).
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 24, 2011
Accepted:
December 6,
2010
Received:
September 9,
2008
Footnotes
No benefits in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
