EYE LENS DOSIMETRY WITHIN THE CARDIAC CATHETERISATION LABORATORY-ARE ANCILLARY STAFF BEING FORGOTTEN?

Abstract

Eye lens doses have been widely explored for interventional clinicians, however, data for ancillary staff is limited. Eye doses have been measured using a headband technique for clinicians, specialist registrars, nurses and radiographers working in a cardiac catheterisation laboratory in a UK hospital. Workload was found to be significantly higher for ancillary staff, and consequently, despite the absolute monthly collar doses and other indicators such as eye dose/KAP and eye dose/procedure being highest for clinicians, our study found there was no significant difference in the monthly eye dose readings between the clinicians and nurses (p = 0.82), and clinicians and radiographers (p = 0.72). The average eye dose/collar dose ratios were 0.71 and 0.61 for cardiologists and SPRs, but ratios above one were found for nurses and radiographers. This work expands on the eye dose data available for ancillary staff and demonstrates that eye dosimetry for these workers should not be overlooked.