Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part B (2024)

Background: Radiation exposure in pediatric cardiac catheterization is a critical concern, especially considering the long-term risks of radiation-induced malignancies. This study aimed to assess the average radiation doses in the pediatric catheterization laboratory at Ain Shams University and compare them to international benchmarks.

Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted from January to September 2020, with a significant reduction in case numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 198 patients underwent various procedures, including ASD, VSD, PDA closures, and coarctation stenting. Radiation exposure parameters, including fluoroscopy time (FT), cumulative dose (CD), and dose area product (DAP), were automatically recorded using the Philips Allura Xper FD10/10® system. Data were compared to international studies and previous findings from our institute.

Results: The median DAP for VSD closure was 6,297 µGy·m², and for coarctation stenting, 17,736.25 µGy·m², both significantly higher than international benchmarks (p<0.001). However, ASD device closure and BAV showed lower median total air kerma (79.23 mGy and 134.78 mGy, respectively) compared to Cevallos et al. Comparison with earlier data from our institution revealed a significant reduction in DAP for PDA interventions (P = 0.045) and coarctation stenting (P = 0.014), indicating improved radiation safety.

Conclusion: While radiation exposure in certain procedures exceeded international averages, significant improvements have been made in reducing radiation doses in our institute over the last decade.