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Leaded glasses linked with significantly reduced ocular radiation exposure
Researchers of this study using anthropomorphic phantoms demonstrated use of three different types of leaded glasses yielded significant reductions in ocular radiation exposure during minimally invasive spine surgery with standard fluoroscopic C-arm X-ray positions.
Researchers included four groups in the study. One group included phantom heads that wore no glasses, the second included leaded lenses without lead sides (WOLS), the third included leaded lenses with lead sides (WLS) and the fourth included sport wraparound leaded glasses (sport). Each group underwent 15 individual 20-second exposures with the fluoroscopic C-arm in the anteroposterior (AP) and lateral positions, with the phantom head positioned at 0°, 45° and 90° to the fluoroscope.
According to the study data, all three groups of glasses significantly reduced ocular radiation exposure compared with the model with no glasses.
“However, we show that WOLS and sport glasses offer a greater reduction in total lens exposure than WLS (P=0.003 and P= 0.009, respectively). WOLS provided a non-statistically higher reduction in overall radiation exposure compared with sport (91.4% vs. 90.9 %, P =0.6). In our experiment, WLS had a lower lens exposure than sport glasses and WLS in only two scenarios: 90° AP vs. sport and 45° AP vs. WOLS. We also confirm previous studies showing radiation exposure to be higher in the lateral view over the AP because of scatter from the patient,” researchers wrote in the study. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.