Radiation dose to patients and clinicians during fluoroscopically-guided biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fluoroscopic guidance may be utilized in some bronchoscopic procedures, including ultrasound-guided bronchoscopy for investigation of peripheral pulmonary lesions. Some authors have suggested this procedure may be performed without fluoroscopy, to minimize risks due to radiation exposure. However, the radiation dose has never been quantified, so the risk remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the patient and clinician radiation exposure from fluoroscopy during bronchoscopy. METHODS: We recorded exposure parameters during 45 consecutive ultrasound bronchoscopies with fluoroscopic guidance with a mobile C-arm fluoroscopy system. We calculated the patient effective radiation dose ..