DRLs for therapeutic cerebral aneurysm procedures: A dual-center study in Saudi Arabia

Interventional neuroradiology one of the first (INR) is a minimally invasive procedure for diagnosing and treating cerebrovascular disease (CVD), and its application has increased globally due to improved patient outcomes. However, these procedures expose patients and medical staff to high radiation doses, necessitating continuous monitoring. This study aims to evaluate Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) in Jeddah, compare the findings with recent literature, and raise awareness among radiology staff. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 100 patients who underwent neuro-interventional procedures at two hospitals in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from 2018 to 2024. The outcome implies that there exists variability in radiation dose parameters between the two hospitals, which is major because of differences that could be due to equipment, protocol, or even the patient population. The variance of average DAP values and DRLs at Hospitals A and B may be worth examining to determine the causal factors responsible for the discrepancies. Equipment characteristics, procedural techniques, and patient demographics could be analyzed to identify fields where standardization or optimization might be necessary. The study observed higher dose-area-product (DAP), shorter fluoroscopy times, and fewer radiographic image frames for cerebral angiographic procedures related to aneurysms than prior studies.