An investigation of the radiation doses to the lower legs and feet of staff undertaking interventional procedures

At a glance

Type of study

Original research, Dosimetry measurement study

Who was studied

Interventional radiologists, Phantom or simulation (no people)

Size

n = 4 radiologists (in situ toe monitoring)

Topics

Dosimetry and monitoringRoom shielding and protective devicesDose reduction techniques

Summary based on

the abstract

What it found

• In situ monitoring projected annual toe doses near the 150 mSv classification threshold for two of four radiologists.

  Key figures: 110 mSv annual toe dose

• Protective under-table curtains reduced exposure to most of the lower extremities.

• Toe doses were high and rose as couch height increased.

• Curtains may not fully protect the toes, especially when there is a gap below them; stepping back from the couch is advised.

• Authors recommend including lower legs and toes in local radiation protection programmes.

Limits to keep in mind

Only four radiologists were monitored for 7 weeks, with annual doses extrapolated; much of the data come from ionization chamber and phantom measurements, and the abstract gives few quantitative details.

Related research summaries

• Investigating Medical Radiation Awareness of Saudi Arabian Cardiologists in Catheterization Labs: (2026, Cross-sectional survey)
• Evaluation of the effectiveness of a tunnel-shaped radiation shielding system in CT-guided interventions: Reduction of scattered radiation in phantom experiment (2025, Phantom or simulation study)
• Occupational radiation exposure of radiologic technologists in Interventional neuroradiology (2025, Dosimetry measurement study)
• Reduced radiation exposure in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with a novel vertical radiation shield (2019, Prospective cohort study)
• Technical Note: Assessment Of Scatter Originating From The X-Ray Tube Collimator Assembly Of Modern Angiography Systems (2019, Phantom or simulation study)