Congress:
EuroSafe Imaging 2019
Keywords:
Chemoembolisation, Percutaneous, Cone beam CT, Radiation physics, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Interventional vascular, Action 2 - Clinical diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), Embolisation, Embolism / Thrombosis
Authors:
�. KNEZEVIC MEDIJA, T. Siiskonen, M. Sans Merce, F. L. MALCHAIR, M. Majer, A. Gallagher, J. Farah, J. Dabin, O. Ciraj-Bjelac
DOI:
10.26044/esi2019/ESI-0091
Background/introduction
The European Radiation Dosimetry Group (EURADOS) is a self-sustainable network of more than 70 European institutions and 560 scientists.
The aim of the network is to promote research and development and European cooperation in the field of dosimetry of ionizing radiation.
The main scientific work is done in working groups,
which promote technical developments and their implementation in routine work,
and contribute to harmonization within Europe and conformance with international practices.
Working group 12 (WG12) Dosimetry in medical imaging of EURADOS addresses various aspects of dosimetry in medical imaging.
The work of WG12 is particularly focused on harmonization,
evaluation and development of dosimetry methods,
intercomparisons,
literature reviews and measurement campaigns to assess occupational and patient dose.
In line with most recent developments in radiation protection in medicine,
a lot of effort has been made in the area of patient dosimetry in medical imaging,
in particular for interventional radiology and cardiology (IR and IC).
Following vision 4 of EURADOS’s Strategic Research Agenda (SRA): “Towards integrated personalized dosimetry in medical applications”,
part of WG12 work is currently focusing on the development and evaluation of dosimetric bases for organ dose and risk estimates in different imaging modalities,
in particular in interventional radiology (IR) and interventional cardiology (IC) and in cone beam CT examinations (CBCT).
The establishment and application of Dose Reference Levels (DRLs) have a key role in optimization of radiation protection.
DRLs are particularly important for IR and IC patients who may receive radiation doses that are high enough to increase the incidence of radiation induced cancer.
In addition,
exposure of the skin and the heart vessels may be high enough during some IR and IC procedures to cause erythema and cardiovascular tissue reactions respectively.
Therefore,
alert levels are also a useful radiation protection tool.
Variations in dose levels between different hospitals and countries are expected to be large and there is a general need to analyze how locally (or how globally) reference levels can and should be set.
To draw any conclusions,
reliable data covering the widest range of practices are needed.