Diagnostic and interventional angiography utilises x-ray fluoroscopy to visualise contrast within blood vessels in real time. Staff performing angiographic examinations are occupationally exposed to radiation throughout their career in a catheterisation laboratory, and there are several possible detrimental effects that may occur as a result of occupational exposure during fluoroscopic procedures e.g. cancer or cataract formation.

A correlational longitudinal quantitative design was used to examine the relationship between the variable of occupational head and eye dose to the medical operator when compared with the dose to the scrub and scout nurse.  Other procedural parameters such as access point, patient body mass index, patient dose, fluoroscopy time and the number of acquisitions were also examined.

Data collection occurred between May 2015 and Feb 2017 at Greenslopes Private Hospital, and measurements were obtained for 22 nursing staff performing either the scrub or scout role, and one interventional cardiologist for 612 procedures.

The data owner gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the donors that support the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation (Innovation Grant Award, 2015), without which the present study could not have been completed.