Comparison of the patient radiation exposure during coronary angiography and angioplasty procedures using trans-radial and trans-femoral access

INTRODUCTION Cardiac catheterization procedure through the trans-radial access (TRA) have shown many clinical advantages over the trans-femoral (TFA), but despite its advantages, there are serious concerns regarding higher possible radiation dose for the patients and operators in TRA. This study was planned to compare the patients' radiation dose associated with TRA and TFA during coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). METHODS Of 700 candidates for angiography, 326 patients were entered the study. All the procedures were carried out by one interventional cardiologist employing the same angiography unit in Aalinasab hospital and the patients' dose area product (DAP), air kerma (AK), fluoroscopy time (FT) and cine film time (CFT) were then determined in both access groups (TRA,TFA) in CA, PTCA and CA+PTCA procedures. RESULTS The mean FT, CFT and AK values in both TRA & TFA groups were the same in all procedures (P>0.05). The mean DAP in CA+PTCA procedures was 6704.01±3243.23 µGym(2) in femoral access compare with 5647.46±2797.74 µGym(2) in radial access, which were significantly less than that in TFA with P= 0.02. CONCLUSION On the basis of the results obtained in this study, no differences were found in patients' radiation dose in both access groups, therefore with regard to comparatively more clinical advantages associated with the Trans-radial access technique it might be a good substitute for Trans-femoral access.