Organ doses in paediatric interventional cardiology. First values for patients in Costa Rica

The aim of this paper was to present the results of organ dose for paediatric patients in respect of diagnostic and therapeutic interventional cardiology procedures grouped by age and weight in Costa Rica. The data collection period was from July 2017 to July 2018. Monte Carlo software was used to calculate organ dose. The three organs for which the highest mean dose and range dose was recorded were lungs (9.5 mGy and 0.57 mGy–355.73 mGy), oesophagus (5.0 mGy and 0.36 mGy–167.88 mGy) and breast (5.0 mGy and 0.19 mGy–52.06 mGy) independent the type of procedure. The ranges of mean organ dose values by age and weight band and divided into procedure type were 0.03 (brain, 5–9 years) to 8.70 mGy (lungs, 1–4 years) for diagnostic procedures and 0.08 (brain, <1 year and 5–9 years) to 48.46 mGy (lungs, 10–15 years) for therapeutic procedures; and 0.04 (brain, 15–29 kg) to 6.98 mGy (lungs, 15–29 kg) for diagnostic procedures and 0.02 (brain, 5–14 kg and 30.49 kg) to 112.45 mGy (lungs, 50–79 kg). The resulting set of dose values will permit to assist in assessment of the effects on organ dose when new or modified irradiation techniques are introduced or, comparisons with other imaging procedures for justification purposes. Furthermore, it can also be used for further epidemiological studies on radiation risk effects in the paediatric population.