An investigation of the radiation dose to staff during cardiac radiological studies.

Measurements of radiation distributions in the vicinity of the couch were undertaken for a number of projections commonly employed during cardiac radiological studies. Three types of investigations were considered; cardiac catheterisations, pacemaker implants and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties. The radiation dose to staff involved in these procedures was estimated. For each group of staff, the maximum annual workload and the workload which would necessitate an individual becoming a classified radiation worker may be deduced from an expression given in the text.