Radiation burdens and risk associated with non-invasive CT coronary angiography

Non-invasive coronary CT angiography examination is one of the latest advances in imaging methods of the heart and surrounding blood vessels. Represents an alternative method of selective angiography, thereby increasing the importance of this examination. Due to technical progress and modernization in medical imaging methods, which use ionizing radiation, tends to increase radiation load of the population. Although coronary CT angiography examination is the indescribable benefit in the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (especially coronary heart disease and vascular stenosis), we must not forget the potential risk of secondary tumors induced as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation.Since this is a relatively young and specific CT technology, we have conducted monitoring of the radiation load of patients undergoing CT coronary angiography examination method of retrospective gating, which included the quantification of calcium score. We conducted a retrospective study in which the aim is stating the radiation load on patient through effective dose. On the basis of the effective dose was determined the fraction of the additive risk of solid tumors as well as the fraction of additional risk of death from solid tumors induced by ionizing radiation by sex and age.Based on the 1078 made exposures, we can conclude that patients are exposed during the examination to relatively high doses of ionizing radiation. However, the heart muscle does not belong to the highly radiosensitive body, so we must take into consideration that the CT coronary angiography examination tends to increase the radiation load of other radiosensitive organs. For women it is especially breast tissue, which may increase the risk of induced breast tumors. The largest number of women who underwent CT coronary angiography were just women who belong to the risk group of women of breast tumors, ie Women aged between 50 and 70. In men it tends to increase the risk of the lung cancer.In this article we will discuss the need of optimizing the examination as well as taking into consideration of the gender, BMI patients and incurred additional radiation risk. (authors)