Typical values of pediatric interventional cardiology procedures in Beijing, China: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Children receive high radiation doses during interventional cardiology procedures and their sensitivity to radiation is higher than that of adults. A 4-year follow-up study was conducted in two large cardiovascular hospitals and a pediatric polyclinic with the objective of providing typical values. The median values of 454 cases obtained for fluoroscopy time, cumulative reference point air kerma (Ka,r) and air kerma-area product (PKA) by age range were 5.6 min, 53.6 mGy, and 4.1 Gy cm2 for <1 y; 4.3 min, 77.9 mGy, and 7.2 Gy cm2 for 1 to <5 y; 4.0 min, 41.4 mGy, and 7.4 Gy cm2 for 5 to <10 y; 4.4 min, 90.1 mGy, and 16.1 Gy cm2 for 10 to <16 y, respectively. The median values of 144 cases obtained for Ka,r and PKA by weight bands were 84.4 mGy and 7.4 Gy cm2 for <15 kg, 25.8 mGy and 3.7 Gy cm2 for 15-30 kg, 46.4 mGy and 9.2 Gy cm2 for 30-50 kg, and 154.0 mGy and 25.6 Gy·cm2 for >50 kg. Our results can serve as a dose comparison with local practice and as a basis for optimization between facilities.