Local Levels of Patient Radiation Exposure in a Urology Operating Room in Italy

Abstract

The data analysed came from 545 patients and were related to five types of procedures performed in the urology operating room: percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), ureteropyeloscopy (UPS), ureteral catheterisation and nephrostomy. Local reference levels (75th percentiles) were determined for the various procedures. The peak entrance skin dose for a patient 20 cm thick was highest for PCNL, being 82 mGy, followed by 43 mGy for nephrostomy, 23 mGy for RIRS, 23 mGy for UPS and 17 mGy for stenting. Even taking into account the maximum values measured (296 mGy for UPS), the doses reached at the skin were not such as to cause deterministic effects. However, the threshold dose for male temporary sterility could be reached (150 mGy).

Patient exposure and diagnostic reference levels in operating rooms: a multi-centric retrospective study in over 150 private and public French clinics

“…Additionally, while ICRP introduced diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) as a tool to optimise patient radiation protection [16], a limited number of papers reported such data for surgeries. Few studies proposed DRLs based on a single-centre study for ureteroscopy [17], Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Endoprosthesis [18] and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography [19][20][21]. Additionally, some multi-center studies were also conducted to document exposure levels and DRLs for different practices.…”