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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology 2022; 05(03): 222-224
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1740476
Short Communication

Impact of Replacing Old C-Arms on Reducing Radiation Exposure

Gordon T. Robbins
1   Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Nicholas J. Wellnitz
2   Department of Radiation Safety, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
,
Peter E. Darwin
3   Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
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Abstract

Fluoroscopy is increasingly used by gastroenterologists for endoscopic procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Unfortunately, fluoroscopy exposes patients and staff to ionizing radiation, which can cause DNA damage, cell death, genetic defects, and cancer. These adverse effects are more likely to occur with increased exposure time and higher radiation doses; therefore, all efforts to decrease exposure are helpful. In this study, we investigate the impact that updating the C-Arms in our endoscopy unit will have on radiation exposure by comparing ionizing radiation effects of the OEC 9900 Elite to the newer OEC Elite. After replicating the setup of a typical endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, ionizing radiation and energy were measured at the bedside and the head of the bed with each machine. At both positions, the newer OEC Elite C-Arm emitted less energy and ionizing radiation than the OEC 9900 Elite. Continuous imaging with OEC 9900 Elite emitted 0.12 mSv/h at the head of the bed and 0.49 mSv/h at the bedside, while the OEC Elite only emitted 0.04 mSv/h and 0.14 mSv/h, respectively. These values are measures of radiation-induced cancer risk, otherwise known as stochastic risk. The differences grow more significant when extrapolated to show radiation differences for an average procedure (approximately 8 minutes of fluoroscopy time) and the procedural volume for an entire year. In an effort to use as little radiation as possible, we see that we can significantly reduce radiation exposure to our staff by upgrading from an OEC 9900 Elite to and OEC Elite.

Keywords

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography - fluoroscopy - ionizing radiation - radiation


Publication History

Article published online:
28 January 2022

© 2022. Indian Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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