Maximum skin dose determination for interventional cardiology patients

Skin doses are assessed by the National Radiation Protection Institute in cooperation with 3 hospitals. Preliminary results obtained from one of the hospitals are presented. Two methods were used to assess the patient skin dose distribution: (i) gafchromic films placed under the patients, and (ii) flowsheets with exposure parameter summaries. The data obtained by means of those two methods were compared for 21 patients and will serve to assess whether the reconstruction of dose distribution based on the exposure parameter summaries is applicable to retrospective skin dosimetry for patients undergoing procedures with high kerma x area products. (orig.)