Radiation dose to the genitalia of women undergoing uterine artery embolization for the treatment of symptomatic myomatosis and adenomyosis

Physics Authors: I. Abatzoglou, V. D. Souftas, I. Tsalafoutas, E. Astrinakis, M. Mantatzis, P. Prassopoulos; Alexandroupolis/GR DOI: 10.1594/ecr2010/C-2930 Purpose Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is now recognized as one of the primary therapies available to women for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids (myomata), as well as a treatment option alternative to hysterectomy for symptomatic adenomyosis, in premenopausal and potentially fertile women. The major advantage of UAE, as compared to surgery, is its minimal invasive nature. However, the use of ionizing radiation and the associated risks for the patient is a disadvantage that has to be taken into account [1-7].The purpose of this study is...

and Materials The study included 31 consecutive patients (Group A, first 18 – Group B, last 13 patients) treated with UAE.All UAE procedures were performed using an angiographic C-arm unit (GE Advantx, Buc Cedex, France) equipped with a high frequency generator and an image intensifier of 40 cm nominal diameter with four field of view (FOV) selections (40, 30, 22 and 16 cm). The X-ray tube comprised iris and square collimators. Additional Aluminum and Copper filters were used for dose reduction. For technical reasons, internal Dose Area...

The results of the first and the second stage of the study are tabulated in Tables 1 and 2 respectively. In Table 1 it is apparent that the calculated skin doses are quite high, as a reasonable consequence of the large number of images acquired during the DSA sequences. A high frame rate (6.3 or 3.1 fps) was used in most of the cases for the first 12 patients. Only in two procedures (patients 9 and 14) the fluoroscopy contribution to the cumulative skin dose...

There are a number of studies in the literature regarding measurement of patient doses during UAE, using various methods [1-7]. In this study the dose to the female patient’s skin and genitalia was measured in a number of UAE procedures performed in an angiographic facility of a General Hospital. Following the analysis of the dose measurements and exposure data in the first group and considering the results of the relevant literature, the examination techniques were revised in an effort to decrease patient doses. Dose measurements...

Nikolic B, Spies JB, Lundsten MJ, Abbara S Patient radiation dose associated with uterine artery embolization. Radiology 2000; 214:121–125.Nikolic B, Spies JB, Campbell L, Walsh SM, Abbara S, Lundsten MJ. Uterine artery embolization: reduced radiation with refined technique. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2001; 12(1):39-44.Simonetti G, Romanini C, Pocek M, Piccione E, Guazzaroni M, Zupi E, Gandini R, Gabriele A, Vaquero E. Embolization of the uterine artery in the treatment of uterine myoma, Radiol Med. 2001; 101(3):157-64.Vetter S, Schultz FW, Strecker EP, Zoetelief J. Patient radiation... Personal Information Abatzoglou I1, Souftas V2,Tsalafoutas I3, Astrinakis E2, Mantatzis M2, Prassopoulos P2 Laboratory of Medical Physics, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, GreeceDepartment of Radiology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, GreeceDepartment of Medical Physics, Agios Savvas Hospital, Athens, [email protected]@[email protected]