Background/introduction
The various potential transplant-related complications make pregnancy more risky than in the general population for both the mother and the fetus [1]. In addition, in situations in which an interventional procedure is deemed clinically necessary with no possibility of delaying it until after pregnancy and US cannot be used for guidance, the radiation related risks must be kept in mind. These include spontaneous abortion, teratogenesis, and carcinogenesis, all of which are related to the fetal gestational age, imaging modality used and the fetal absorbed dose...
Description of activity and work performed
To protect the uterus from external scattered radiation (scatter emanating from the exposed tissue or imaging equipment) the patient’s abdomen with the exception of the right upper quadrant, was wrapped in two lead aprons (0.5 mm lead equivalent).To monitor her equivalent dose at the depth of 10 millimeters (Hp10), two electronic personal dosimeters (EPD MK2, Thermo Fisher Scientific) were positioned above and below the aprons.
The procedure was performed in a monoplane flat-panel-based detector angiographic suite using a postero-anterior projection. The angiographic equipment used was...
Conclusion and recommendations
The procedure was successfully completed with adequate image quality and without increasing fluoroscopy time. The dose from external scattered radiation was minimal: both above and below the lead apron Hp10 was 0 µSv. DAP was 0.052 Gy*cm2and AK 0.00047 Gy. Effective dose to the patient and equivalent dose to the uterus were 0.013±0.1% mSv and 0.002±0.2% mSv respectively. (Figure 5) This means that, although the equipment was newest generation equipment, the application of all the strategies of dose reduction achieved the clinical aim with a...
Personal/organisational information
R. Gerasia; Palermo/IT - nothing to disclose G. S. Gallo; Palermo/IT - nothing to disclose L. Maruzzelli; Palermo/IT - nothing to disclose C. Cannataci; Msida/MT - nothing to disclose R. Miraglia; Palermo/IT - nothing to disclose
References
Pregnancy After Liver Transplantation: Risks and Outcomes A. Baskirana,*, S. Karakasa, V. Incea, M. Kementb, F. Ozdemira, O. Ozsayc, K. Kutluturka, V. Ersana, C. Koca, B. Baruta, and S. Yilmaza
Transplantation ProceedingsVolume 49, Issue 8,October 2017, Pages 1875-1878
https://www.iaea.org/resources/rpop/health-professionals/radiology/pregnant-women#1
Imaging Pregnant and Lactating PatientsNikki Tirada,David Dreizin,Nadia J. Khati,Esma A. Akin,Robert K. ZemanRadioGraphicsVol. 35, No. 6
Radiation Exposure and Pregnancy: When Should We Be Concerned?Cynthia H. McCollough,Beth A. Schueler,Thomas D. Atwell,Natalie N. Braun,Dawn M. Regner,Douglas L. Brown,Andrew J. LeRoyRadioGraphicsVol. 27, No. 4
A Patient radiation doses...