Elementos de protección radiológica en salas de intervencionismo

Abstract

The number and complexity of cardiovascular diagnostic and intervention procedures has grown significantly. This has led to a greater exposure to low doses of ionising radiation due to the radiation dispersed by the patient. The crystalline lens of the eye is one of the structures most sensitive to radiation, and cataracts are the most common and studied eye disease in occupational health staff, exposed to low radiation doses.The formation is cataracts is due to several factors in which the exposure to ionising radiation has been associated with posterior subcapsular opacities, followed by cortical cataracts.There are several studies that have evaluated the effects of occupational exposure due to ionising radiation in the crystalline lens in interventionist cardiologists, and comparing them with non-exposed controls.These studies conclude that there is a higher prevalence of posterior subcapsular opacities in staff exposed to ionising radiation, particularly in interventionist cardiologists (due to working very near the X-ray generator). This is also associated with the duration of working in cardiac interventions, and decreases with the use of leaded glasses.The low use that interventionist cardiologists make of radiation protection materials is highlighted in many studies. This is particularly noteworthy in the use of glasses and a leaded screen, which have shown to be effective in reducing the ionising radiation received by the staff in the cardiac catheterisation room.