Teste | Abstract: 125-1 | ||||
Abstract:Congenital heart diseases are one of the leading causes of infant mortality in Brazil, affecting approximately 10 out of every 1,000 live births. These conditions result from anomalies in the structure or function of the heart, making early diagnosis crucial to increasing the survival chances of these patients. Interventional cardiology procedures play a fundamental role in this context, utilizing ionizing radiation to obtain real-time images of the patient's body. However, despite their benefits, these procedures can expose medical staff to high doses of radiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the personal dose equivalent for eye lens and extremities received by physicians performing Pediatric Cardiac Interventional surgeries. The present study analyzed 20 procedures performed on newborn patients at two hospitals in Recife. In the hospital A the X-ray imaging system used for this procedure is a Philips, Azorin, and in the hospital B, the equipment is a Siemens Artis ZeeGo, both equipped with a flat panel. For each procedure, several parameters related to acquisition and exposure were recorded. These parameters included kV, current (mA), source to image distance (SID), exposure time, fluoroscopy mode, and number of images. To estimate the personal dose equivalent Hp(d) received by the medical team during the procedures, two thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD-100) were packaged in a polyethylene case and sealed. Each pack was placed on the left and right temples near the eyes, the glabella, and on the left and right middle finger rings. The results demonstrated that the mean dose, per procedure, to the eyes on the right side of the medical practitioners who conducted the procedures at institution A was 10.7 mSv, while on the left it was 24.6 mSv. The maximum dose was observed in the left eye, which was 59.5 mSv. In the case of Institution B, the results demonstrated that the mean dose per procedure to the eyes was 14.8 mSv for the right side and 46.7 mSv for the left. The maximum dose was observed in the left eye, which was 108.8 mSv. The results show that the left eye receives a higher dose than the right eye. It is important to note that physicians did not use eyewear or ceiling-mounted shields during the procedures evaluated in this study. With regard to the doses received by the doctors' hands, the results demonstrated that, for Institution A, the average dose value was 71.5 μSv for the right hand, and for the left hand 241.5 μSv, with the maximum dose of 803.8 μSv for the left hand. At Institution B, the mean doses were 133.5 μSv and 365.1 μSv for right and left hand, respectively, with the maximum value of 884.7 μSv for the left hand. The observed variation in dose values can be attributed to several factors, like the complexity of the procedures, due to the delicate and variable anatomy of the patients and the necessity for the surgeon to be close to the patient means that his hands are sometimes directly exposed to the primary radiation beam. The results of this study indicate that physicians are exposed to high lens and hand doses during neonatal cardiac procedures. The use of protective eyewear is crucial to reducing high lens doses. The results of this study demonstrate the necessity to optimize radiation protection measures. Keywords: Radiation protection, Pediatric cardiac interventionism, Occupationally exposed individual |