Radiation dose reduction during neurointerventional procedures by modification of default settings on biplane angiography equipment

BackgroundNeurointerventional procedures represent a significant source of ionizing radiation. We sought to assess the effect during neurointerventional procedures of varying default rates of radiation dose in fluoroscopy (F) and image acquisition (IA) modes, and frame rates during cine acquisition (CINE) on total X-ray dose, acquisition exposures, fluoroscopy time, and complications.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed procedures performed with two radiation dose and CINE settings: a factory setting dose cohort (30 patients, F 45 nGy/pulse, IA 3.6 μGy/pulse, factory CINE frame rate) and a reduced dose cohort (30 patients, F 32 nGy/pulse, IA 1.2 μGy/pulse, with a decreased CINE frame rate). Total radiation dose, dose area product, number of acquisition exposures, fluoroscopy time, and complications were compared between the groups. Means comparisons (t tests) were employed to evaluate differences in the outcome variables between the two groups. p Value