Background/introduction
The frequency and complexity of paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) procedures have increased over the last decades [1]. Exposure of children to ionizing radiation requires special attention since, compared to adults, they face an increased risk of developing radiation-induced cancers during their lifetime. Moreover, paediatric patients with congenital heart diseases (CHD) often undergo multiple IC procedures during their lifetime, thus absorbing high cumulative and skin radiation doses [2]. It is imperative, therefore, to implement Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) and optimize clinical protocols in paediatric IC. However,...
Description of activity and work performed
Materials and Methods
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board.
Patient cohort
The study enrolled a total of 198 paediatric patients (up to 16 years of age) with CHD who underwent either diagnostic or therapeutic IC procedures. Congenital heart defects included atrial and ventricular septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot, patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonary artery stenosis and coarctation of the aorta. Patients were categorized into three body weight (BW) groups according to institutional acquisition protocols: group A (BW < 6 kg), group B (6...
Conclusion and recommendations
This study presents LDRLs in paediatric IC procedures performed in Greece and sets the basis for establishing national DRLs. The employment of LDRLs as an optimization tool is of great importance in paediatric IC, since CHD patients may undergo multiple examinations involving ionizing radiation in their lifetime. Presented LDRLs are within the LDRLs range reported in the literature. The wide range of complexity among the various types of IC procedures emphasizes the need to integrate clinical indications in DRLs and implement procedure-specific DRLs.
Personal/organisational information
E. P. Efstathopoulos; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens/GR - nothing to disclose A. Ploussi;National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens/GR - nothing to disclose I. Seimenis;National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens/GR - nothing to disclose S. Rammos; ''OnassisCardiac Surgery Center'', Athens/GR - nothing to disclose
References
[1] Kim SH (2017) Recent advances in pediatric interventional cardiology. Korean J Pediatr 60(8):237244.
[2] Ait-Ali L, Andreassi MG, Foffa I, Spadoni I, Vano E, Picano E (2010) Cumulative patient effective dose and acute radiation-induced chromosomal DNA damage in children with congenital heart disease. Heart 96:269-274.
[3] European Commission. European Guidelines on Diagnostic Reference Levels for Paediatric Imaging (2018). Radiation Protection No 185.
[4] Corredoira E, Vañó E, Ubeda C, Gutiérrez-Larraya F (2015) Patient doses in paediatric interventional cardiology: impact of 3D rotational angiography. J...