Reduce Radiation Exposure Through Improved Education, Prevention, and Monitoring

Background. Birth head trauma causing intracranial injury is one of the most common causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity. In case of suspected cranial fractures and intracranial hematomas, diagnostic methods involving radiation, such as x-ray radiography and computed tomography, are recommended. Recently, an increasing number of studies have highlighted the risk of cancer complications associated with computed tomography in infants. Therefore, diagnostic methods that reduce radiation exposure in neonates are important. One such method is ultrasonography (US). Aim. We evaluated US as a non-ionizing radiation method for diagnosis of cranial bone fractures and epidural hematomas in newborns with cephalohematomas or other birth head traumas. Material and methods. The study group included 449 newborns with the most common variant of birth head trauma: cephalohematomas. All newborns underwent transcranial-transfontanelle US for detection of intracranial changes and cranial US for visualization of bone structure in the cephalohematoma region. Children with ultrasonic signs of cranial fractures and epidural hematomas were further examined at a children’s hospital by x-ray radiography and/or computed tomography. Results and discussion. We found that cranial US for diagnosis of cranial fractures and transcranial-transfontanelle US for diagnosis of epidural hematomas in newborns were highly effective. In newborns with parietal cephalohematomas (444 children), 17 (3.8%) had US signs of linear fracture of the parietal bone, and 5 (1.1%) had signs of ipsilateral epidural hematoma. Epidural hematomas were visualized only when US was performed through the temporal bone and not by using the transfontanelle approach. Sixteen cases of linear fractures and all epidural hematomas were confirmed by computed tomography. Conclusion. The use of US diagnostic methods reduced radiation exposure in newborns with birth head trauma. US methods (transcranial-transfontanelle and cranial) can be used in screening for diagnosis and personalized monitoring of changes in birth head trauma as well as to reduce radiation exposure.

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MP05-09 OPTIMIZATION OF FLUOROSCOPIC IMAGING TO REDUCE RADIATION EXPOSURE IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING ENDOUROLOGICAL INTERVENTION

The Journal of Urology ◽

10.1016/j.juro.2016.02.1986 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 195 (4S) ◽

Author(s):

Ahmed fahmy ◽

Mohamed Youssif ◽

Hazem Rhashad ◽

Waleed Dawoud ◽

Ibrahim Mokhless

Keyword(s):

Radiation Exposure ◽

Reduce Radiation Exposure ◽

Fluoroscopic Imaging

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A simple step to reduce radiation exposure in the NICU

Journal of Perinatology ◽

10.1038/jp.2013.147 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 331-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P V Gordon ◽

J R Swanson

Keyword(s):

Radiation Exposure ◽

Reduce Radiation Exposure ◽

Simple Step

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Practical Protective Tools for Occupational Exposure: 1) Double Focus Spectacles for the Aged with Highly Refracted Glass Lens 2) Remodeled Barrier for Radiation Protection

Interventional Neuroradiology ◽

10.1177/15910199000060s103 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 6 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 33-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. Kurokawa ◽

S. Yabe ◽

A. Takamura ◽

H. Ishizaki ◽

S. Aizawa

Keyword(s):

Occupational Exposure ◽

Radiation Exposure ◽

Radiation Protection ◽

Cerebral Angiography ◽

Crystalline Lens ◽

Left Breast ◽

Reduce Radiation Exposure ◽

Protective Barrier ◽

Fluoroscopic Time ◽

Glass Lens

Two practical protective tools for occupational exposure for neurointerventional radiologists are presented. The first purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of double focus spectacles for the aged with a highly refracted glass lens (special spectacles for the aged) for radiation protection of the crystalline lens of the eye in comparison with other spectacles on the market, based on the measurement of film density which was obtained by exposure of X-ray through those spectacles. As a result of the film densitometry mentioned above, the effectiveness of special spectacles for the aged in radiation protection was nearly equal to the effectiveness of a goggle type shield which is made with a 0.07 mm lead-equivalent plastic lens. The second purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the protective barrier, which we remodeled for cerebral angiography or neuroendovascular therapy, for radiation exposure, based on the measurement in a simulated study with a head phantom, and on the measurement of radiation exposure in operaters during procedures of clinical cases. In the experimental study radiation exposure in supposed position of the crystalline lens was reduced to about one third and radiation exposure in supposed position of the gonadal glands was reduced to about one seventh, compared to radiation exposure without employing the barrier. The radiation exposure was monitored at the left breast of three radiologists, in 215 cases of cerebral angiography. Employing the barrier in cerebral angiography, average equivalent dose at the left breast measured 1.49μ Sv during 10 min of fluoroscopy. In three kinds of neuroendovascular therapy in 40 cases, radiation exposure in an operator was monitored in the same fashion and the dose was recorded less than the result reported in previous papers in which any protective barrier have not been employed in the procedure1,2. As a result, the two above mentioned protective tools are considered practical in clinical usage and very effective to reduce radiation exposure in an operator of interventional neuroradiolgy which may sometimes require many hours to complete the therapy under extended fluoroscopic time.

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