Report on effectiveness of protective deviced for staff in interventional procedures.

This study rigorously compared radioprotective drapes, head supported lead-acrylic face masks, lead head-caps, and Zero-Gravity, during clinical use with patients as well as phantom studies , and using Monte Carlo analysis. Zero-Gravity reduced calculated annual exposure to the brain 6.9 X greater than head-supported lead acrylic face mask, and 10.3 X greater than radioprotective head-cap […]

How the Zero-Gravity radiation protection system protects interventionalists while potentially increasing their caseload and prolonging their careers.

1 mm Pb “apron” blocks scatter radiation far better than conventional aprons. 1 2 3 4 0.5 mm Pb acrylic head shield wraps around the front and sides of the head, reducing dose to eyes and head far better than lead glasses and mobile shields. 5 6 1 4 Arm flaps and low leg protection […]

Occupational Eye Lens Radiation Dose While Performing Interventional Procedures over 18 Months Using a Face-Shield Equipped Suspended Radiation Protection System.

By following some basic practices and using the Zero-Gravity, the radiation dose to the head and eyes of a busy interventionalist was only 8% above natural background. The manuscript also provides some brief information on how to maximally protect the head and eyes by adjusting the settings on the Zero-Gravity to best advantage.  

Zero-Gravity ™ Radiation Protection System

TCT-557 Impact of a Suspended Lead Suit on Physician Radiation Doses Across Patient BMI Categories During Coronary Angiography  J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018 Sep, 72 (13_Supplement) B223–B224.  Refahiyat et al. showed a 95.0% reduction in deep dose equivalent [Hp(10)] for Zero-Gravity vs. traditional lead apron in morbidly obese patients in a study of 1,120 consecutive […]

Lightweight Lead Aprons and Non-Lead Aprons and Attenuating Head Caps

Featured Article: K Fetterly et al. Head and Neck Radiation Dose and Radiation Safety for Interventional Physicians. JACC Vol 10 No 5 2017.  Read more and link to download manuscript. Clinical Evaluation of Protective Garments with Respect to Garment Characteristics and Manufacturer Label Information. Lichliter et al. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2017 Jan;28(1):148-155. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2016.08.006.  ISET […]

The Effects of Attenuation Properties and Back Coverage of Protective Clothing and Devices on Operator Exposures in the Interventional Suite

ABSTRACT: Many different personal radiation protection options are available today for use by interventionalists in their suites. This study examines a variety of options to determine the importance of lead vs. lead-free, back coverage vs. none, and frontal overlap vs. none. Secondary scatter was provided by a stack of acrylic (phantom patient) and exposure was […]

Lightweight Aprons EXPOSED

Interventionalists are accustomed to extensive regulations in nearly all aspects of their field, and so are very surprised to discover that the protective quality of their lead aprons is very loosely regulated, resulting in great variation between similarly labeled products. Especially when buying a lightweight non-lead apron, they don’t know what they are getting without complicated […]

Beware the “Lightweight Lead Apron”

Author’s note: This current discussion is intended to be relatively detailed with more specific citation support, and refers to the other link for practical recommendations. A relatively short and practical guide is available at this link: Link to “Lightweight Aprons Exposed” The regulations for testing and labeling of X-ray protective clothing are surprisingly lax (13, […]