Six medical societies have released an expert consensus statement calling for immediate adoption of enhanced radiation protection technologies in fluoroscopy laboratories.
The statement has been published in the Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, and JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. It cites evidence that available devices can reduce operator and staff radiation exposure by up to 99%.
The statement is endorsed by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), the American College of Cardiology (ACC), the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), and the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
The statement calls on hospitals, manufacturers, regulators, and professional societies to adopt enhanced radiation protection devices, which reduce exposure through engineering controls rather than relying primarily on personal protective equipment such as lead aprons. It also calls for modernization of federal and state radiation safety regulations, real-time dosimetry and standardized quality metrics, and integration of enhanced radiation protection into imaging systems and procedure room design.
The statement cited a 2023 SCAI survey finding that nearly 60% of interventional cardiologists reported orthopedic injuries and 17% reported limiting their catheterization (cath) lab time to reduce radiation exposure. Among women respondents, 28% reported being discouraged from working in the cath lab because of pregnancy or consideration of pregnancy, and 71% wanted the option to step away during pregnancy, according to the survey.
