Purpose: To assess patient skin and eye lens doses in interventional neuroradiology and to assess both stochastic and deterministic radiation risks.
Methods: Kerma-area product (P (KA)) was recorded and skin doses measured using thermoluminescence dosimeters. Estimated dose at interventional reference point (IRP) was compared with measured absorbed doses.
Results: The average and maximum fluoroscopy times were 32 and 189 min for coiling and 40 and 144 min for embolisation. The average and maximum P (KA) for coiling were 121 and 436 Gy cm(2), respectively, and 189 and 677 Gy cm(2) for embolisation. The average and maximum values of the measured maximum absorbed skin doses were 0.72 and 3.0 Sv, respectively, for coiling and 0.79 and 2.1 Sv for embolisation. Two out of the 52 patients received skin doses in excess of 2 Sv. The average and maximum doses to the eye lens (left eye) were 51 and 515 mSv (coiling) and 71 and 289 mSv (embolisation).
Conclusion: The ratio between the measured dose and the dose at the IRP was 0.44 +/- 0.18 mSv/mGy indicating that the dose displayed by the x-ray unit overestimates the maximum skin dose but is still a valuable indication of the dose. The risk of inducing skin erythema and lens cataract during our hospital procedures is therefore small.