Effective dose to patient during cardiac interventional procedures (Prague workplaces).

The aim of this study was to assess effective dose to a patient during cardiac procedures, such as coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous transiluminal angioplasty (PTCA). Measurements were performed on 185 patients in four catheterisation laboratories in three hospitals in Prague using the dose area product (DAP) meter. Calculations of surface and effective dose were performed with Monte-Carlo-based program PCXMC. The mean DAP value per procedure determined in all workplaces ranged between 25.0 and 54.5 Gy cm2 for CA and 43.0-104.5 Gy cm2 for PTCA. In three cases, the surface dose exceeded the 2 Gy level for occurrence of transient erythema. The mean effective dose per procedure in all workplaces was determined to be in the range of 2.7-8.8 mSv for CA and 5.7-15.3 mSv for CA + PTCA combined. The results presented are comparable with those published by other authors.