In plain language
During structural heart procedures, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) operators received per-procedure radiation doses at least as high as the primary operator's. Adding a ceiling-suspended lead shield for them was associated with an 82% lower measured dose.
At a glance
- Type of study
- Original research, Dosimetry measurement study
- Who was studied
- Other physicians, Anesthesia staff, Interventional cardiologists
- Size
- n = 148 procedures
- Summary based on
- the abstract
What it found
Median TEE operator effective dose was similar to the primary operator's dose.
Key figures: 2.62 μSv (IQR: 0.95 to 4.76 μSv) vs 1.91 μSv (IQR: 0.48 to 3.81 μSv); p = 0.101
Additional shielding for the TEE operator was associated with an 82% lower TEE operator effective dose.
Key figures: 82% reduction; 2.62 μSv [interquartile range (IQR): 0.95 to 4.76] to 0.48 μSv [IQR: 0.00 to 1.43 μSv]; p < 0.001
TEE operator dose was significantly higher than that of the secondary operator and the anesthetist.
Key figures: secondary operator 0.48 μSv (IQR: 0.00 to 1.91 μSv), anesthetist 0.48 μSv (IQR: 0.00 to 1.43 μSv); both p < 0.001
Procedures using predominantly right anterior oblique (RAO) and steep RAO projections were associated with higher TEE operator dose per kerma-area product (KAP).
Key figures: p = 0.041
Shielding, procedure type and KAP were independent predictors of TEE operator dose.
Limits to keep in mind
Observational before-after comparison of different procedure series (98 vs 50) rather than randomized, so case mix may differ; the abstract does not report country, centre count or number of operators, and per-procedure dosimeter doses are not health outcomes.
Related research summaries
- IU Health Handbook of Fluoroscopy Safety (Guideline or consensus statement)
- Real-time evaluation of operator eye lens radiation dose in interventional radiology: Effects of protective shield position and X-ray beam angle (2026, Dosimetry measurement study)
- Addressing the Occupational Risk of Radiation Exposure in the Evolving Field of Interventional Echocardiography (2024, Narrative review)
- Radiation Exposure, Training, and Safety in Cardiology (2024, Narrative review)
- ICRP Draft - Radiological Protection in Fluoroscopically Guided Procedures (Guideline or consensus statement)
How this summary was made
ORSIF prepared this summary with AI assistance from the abstract of the paper. A program then checked that the passage supporting each finding appears word for word in that source. A person has not yet reviewed each summary, so read the original before relying on a number. ORSIF summarizes research and does not endorse any product or company. Report a problem with this summary.
Prepared November 3, 2026.