Healthcare workers’ radiation exposure tied to range of health problems
Healthcare professionals performing x-ray guided cardiovascular procedures may be at higher risk for health problems including orthopedic problems, cataracts, skin lesions and cancers, according to new research in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
The study identified potential radiation-related health risks to professionals that perform common cardiovascular procedures using fluoroscopy — an imaging technique that uses X-rays to obtain real-time moving images of the heart. Such procedures include coronary angiographyto diagnose heart problems and coronary artery angioplasty to widen narrowed arteries. These procedures are commonly done in a hospital cardiac catheterization(cath) lab.