Effect of new radioprotective equipment on reducing radiation exposure of participants in percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: The ionising radiation generated in percutaneous coronary intervention has the largest hazard to medical staff among all interventional procedures, and thus has gained the attention of various researchers. Radioprotective shielding equipment is an effective measure; however, it has poor applicability to diverse interventional procedures. The aim of this study was to develop a new radioprotective shielding equipment for percutaneous coronary intervention and determine its effectiveness and applicability. Methods: This study developed a radioprotective cabin for percutaneous coronary intervention and used fluoroscopy and cine models of a digital subtraction angiography machine to compare the effectiveness of experimental (radioprotective cabin) and control (current radioprotection strategies) groups. Radiation equivalent dose rates were measured at 231 data points: 210 points were distributed on four vertical planes around the therapy bed and 21 points were evenly distributed around the thyroid, head, and gonad areas of a standardised patient. Results: Based on the cine model, there were statistically significant differences in the radiation equivalent dose rates between the control and experimental groups in the left plane, right plane, foot plane, head area, and gonad area ( Z = −6.645, −5.615, −6.204, −2.647, −2.882, respectively; P < 0.05). Based on the fluoroscopy model, there were statistically significant differences in the radiation equivalent dose rates between the two groups in the left plane, right plane, foot plane, and gonad area ( Z = −6.060, −5.083, −5.203, −2.887, respectively; P < 0.05). Conclusion: The radioprotective cabin developed in this study can effectively reduce the radiation equivalent dose rates in the standing area of medical staff and radiation-sensitive areas of patients without affecting the operation, which can be promoted and applied in percutaneous coronary intervention.