Evaluating radiation exposure from a C-Arm fluoroscopy device during neurosurgery procedures, an essential to balance effective imaging.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the radiation exposure on surgeons during different neurosurgical procedures. Study Design: Observational Cohort study. Setting: Liaquat University of Medical and Health Science, Jamshoro. Period: October 2023 to October 2024. Methods: Three surgeons were recruited and performed different neurosurgical procedures that required usage of C-arm per-operatively. The chest and right arm was selected for dosimeter readings. The fluoroscopy time, number of films was calculated with the help of residents that were observing the case. Results: Total number of 43 procedures were performed and most of patients were male (88.4%). The pedicel Screw fixation was the most common procedure (44.2%). The surgical level was dorsolumber spine (60.5%). The C arm was used in continuous fashion (41.9%) with mean of 10.69 ± 7.6 number of films were taken out. The mean fluoroscopy time was 7.6 ± 7.47. The mean of 241 ± 123 µSv on the chest and 479 ± 298 µSv on the right hand was found on dosimeter. The radiation exposure is significantly associated with the type of surgery (p 0.02) and Surgeries that required instrumentation is positively correlated with radiation exposure, increase fluoroscopy time (p- 0.001). Conclusion: Instrumentation surgery is associated with higher radiation exposure due to its association with higher fluoroscopy time and higher number of films.