Radiation-Induced Skin Injuries to Patients: What the Interventional Radiologist Needs to Know

Journal Article · Tue Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/S00270-017-1674-5· OSTI ID:22756471

Jaschke, Werner ^[1]; Schmuth, Matthias ^[2]; Trianni, Annalisa ^[3]; Bartal, Gabriel ^[4]

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1. Medical University Innsbruck, Department of Radiology (Austria)
2. Medical University Innsbruck, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology (Austria)
3. Udine University Hospital, Department of Physics (Italy)
4. Meir Medical Center, Department of Radiology (Israel)

For a long time, radiation-induced skin injuries were only encountered in patients undergoing radiation therapy. In diagnostic radiology, radiation exposures of patients causing skin injuries were extremely rare. The introduction of fast multislice CT scanners and fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGI) changed the situation. Both methods carry the risk of excessive high doses to the skin of patients resulting in skin injuries. In the early nineties, several reports of epilation and skin injuries following CT brain perfusion studies were published. During the same time, several papers reported skin injuries following FGI, especially after percutaneous coronary interventions and neuroembolisations. Thus, CT and FGI are of major concern regarding radiation safety since both methods can apply doses to patients exceeding 5 Gy (National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements threshold for substantial radiation dose level). This paper reviews the problem of skin injuries observed after FGI. Also, some practical advices are given how to effectively avoid skin injuries. In addition, guidelines are discussed how to deal with patients who were exposed to a potentially dangerous radiation skin dose during medically justified interventional procedures.

• OSTI ID: 22756471
• Journal Information: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, Journal Name: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 40; ISSN 0174-1551; ISSN CAIRDG
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GY RANGE
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIATION PROTECTION
SKIN