Investigation of scatter radiation intensities in the cardiac catheter laboratory: novel versus traditional shielding solutions

Abstract A manufacturer has released a novel shielding solution (NSS): Rampart M1128 and claimed that the lead aprons can be removed. This study investigates the scatter intensities with the NSS or the traditional shielding solutions (TSS) including the ceiling-suspended screen and the tableside lead drape. Isodose maps were generated by two series of measurements with an anthropomorphic phantom using NSS and TSS. Three survey meters were positioned at different heights to measure the scatter intensities at the eye, chest, and pelvic levels. Additional measurements were made at the primary and secondary operators’ locations to evaluate the scatter intensities with different clinical projections. For the main operators, the isodose maps showed that NSS could result in a scatter dose that was between 80% and 95% lower than those of TSS at the eye and chest levels. The corresponding result at the pelvic level could go down to around 50%. These reductions should be compared to the additional protection by conventional lead protections: up to 80% reduction from lead eyeglasses and up to 95% from lead aprons. At LAO30 and between CRA30 and CAU30, NSS led to lower scatter doses ranging from 76% to 96% than those of TSS to both operators at the eye and chest levels. The range reduced to 25% and 60% at the pelvic level. The protection of NSS is comparable with that of TSS alongside conventional lead protections at the eye but not at the chest and the pelvic levels under the setup of CA.