CHARACTERIZATION AND EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS OF SCATTER DOSE AT CARDIOLOGIST'S EYES DURING PAEDIATRIC INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY PROCEDURES IN COSTA RICA

: This paper presents the results of the first characterization and experimental measurements of scatter dose at cardiologist's eyes for the only X-ray system that performs all paediatric Interventional cardiology procedures in Costa Rica. Entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) and the scatter dose values were measured on phantoms of 4-20 cm thicknesses of polymethyl methacrylate slabs. Image quality was evaluated using DICOM images of a test object Leeds TOR 18-FG, through the numerical parameters signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), high-contrast spatial resolution (HCSR) and figure of merit (FOM). When PMMA thickness is increased and during a move from low fluoroscopy to cine modes, ESAK, SNR, HCSR and FOM values range from 0.44 to 391.0 μGy fr-1; 2.8 to 14.89; 3.17 to 15.54 and 0.51 to 79.94, respectively. The highest scattered dose rates recorded during the simulations were 1.79 and 8.04 mSv h-1 for the high fluoroscopy and cine modes, respectively.