Dosimetric parameters in congenital cardiac catheterizations in Spain: the GTH-SECPCC Radcong-21 multicenter registry

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction and objectives: The results of the Radcong-21 Registry of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease Working Group on Hemodynamics are described to analyze data, establish updated reference parameters, and compare them to other registries. Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational, multicenter registry of patients with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac catheterization in 2021. Each cath lab sent the last 100 cases performed prior to January 2022. A descriptive analysis was conducted of anthropomorphic variables, procedural (grouped by type and radiation exposure categories [REC]) and technical characteristics, and dosimetric parameters with additional review of all values outside the 95%CI of the median. Results: A total of 1090 procedures performed in 11 cath lab of 10 hospital centers were analyzed. Age distribution: 22.8% < 1 year, 60.7% between 1-18 years, and 16.4% > 18 years. In dose area product (DAP)/Kg and DAP/Kg/fluoroscopy, the distribution was very similar regardless of the type of cath lab as is the case with most pediatric patients in terms of age, weight, and REC group. The DAP/Kg was higher in the REC I and III groups compared to other countries with registries and improvement programs in this area (78% and 8,3%, respectively). Conclusions: Representative data of dosimetric parameters by age and procedures in congenital cardiac catheterizations were obtained in Spain back in 2021. DAP/Kg is the parameter with the lowest dispersion in the sample. There is room for improvement compared to other countries with optimization programs in this area.

Keywords

• Congenital heart disease
• Angiography
• Pediatric cardiac cath lab
• Radiation dose
• Radiation protection