Exposure of cardiologists from interventional procedures

Data on the exposure of seven cardiologists and over 10 000 patients undergoing interventional procedures were collected. The data were collected in a study that was set up to evaluate differences in the exposure of seven cardiologists performing interventional procedures. The study revealed a linear relation between the exposure of the seven cardiologists and the exposure of their patients (R(2) = 0.55). The exposure of the cardiologists ranged from 0.43 to 2.85 mSv in 4 weeks, while for the patients the exposure ranged from 1633 to 5943 Gy cm(2) in 4 weeks. It was concluded that the height of the doses of the cardiologists is associated with the number of procedures, not with the complexity of the procedure. In order to reduce the exposure of cardiologists, it is recommended to optimise the exposure techniques.