What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to quantify radiation doses to equine surgeons during digital radiography and fluoroscopy-guided fracture fixation and assess protective measures.

June 28, 2026Veterinary Surgery0 citations

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Radiation exposure to equine surgeons during simulated digital radiography and fluoroscopy‐guided fracture fixation of the distal limb

JGJulia L. GaidaOregon State University SSSusanne M. Stieger‐VanegasOregon State University CLChristoph J. LischerFreie Universität Berlin

Key Points

The study aims to quantify radiation doses to equine surgeons during digital radiography and fluoroscopy-guided fracture fixation and assess protective measures.
Simulated distal limb fracture fixation using anthropomorphic models with dosimeters at critical body areas.
Radiation levels measured over 10 digital radiography and fluoroscopy exposures, with and without protective gloves or ointment.
Radiation doses recorded at various sites including the hand, lenses, thyroid, and gonads.
Dosimeters recorded the highest radiation dose at the gonads during digital radiography (6.87 ± 0.40 μSv).
Significant reduction in hand dose with radiation-reducing gloves (p < .001).
Overall, digital radiography exposure was higher than fluoroscopy at all measured sites (p < .001).

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Despite known occupational radiation risks, data on exposure during digital radiography (DR) or fluoroscopy-guided equine fracture repair are lacking. This study quantified radiation doses to a model surgeon's hand, lenses, thyroid, and gonads, and assessed protective effects of radiation-reducing surgical gloves and attenuating ointment. STUDY DESIGN: Comparative, controlled, simulation-based study. ANIMAL/SAMPLE POPULATION: Anthropomorphic model. METHODS: Distal limb fracture fixation was simulated using a model with dosimeters at the region of the lenses, thyroid, gonads, drill-holding hand, and under a lead apron (fetal dose). Radiation was measured over 10 DR or 10 single-image fluoroscopy exposures, then repeated using radiation-reducing surgical gloves or ointment. RESULTS: All radiation doses were below occupational limits. Dosimeters placed at the level of the gonads (outside the gown) received the highest mean dose (DR: 6.87 ± 0.40 μSv; fluoroscopy: 0.98 ± 0.28 μSv), followed by thyroid (outside the gown) (DR: 2.60 ± 0.52 μSv; fluoroscopy: 0.48 ± 0.08 μSv), hand (DR: 2.02 ± 0.54 μSv; fluoroscopy: 0.32 ± 0.06 μSv) and lenses (DR: 1.25 ± 0.28 μSv; fluoroscopy: 0.23 ± 0.07 μSv). The lowest exposure was measured underneath the gown (fetal dose) (DR: 0.01 ± 0.01 μSv; fluoroscopy: 0.01 ± 0.01 μSv). DR exposure exceeded fluoroscopy at all sites (p < .001). Radiation-reducing surgical gloves significantly lowered hand dose (p < .001), whereas ointment had no effect (p = .54). Off-beam hand exposure from 10 images was approximately one-millionth of the annual dose limit. CONCLUSION: Image-guided equine distal limb fracture fixation results in minimal hand radiation exposure, relative to other regions of the body, with DR producing higher doses than single-image fluoroscopy. Radiation-reducing surgical gloves significantly lower hand exposure during DR procedures. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Radiation-reducing surgical gloves offer additional protection and are recommended during image-guided surgery. Whenever feasible, pulsed fluoroscopy should be preferred over DR.

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Cite This Study

Gaida et al. (Fri,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a40b96161bb0a67205c5a68 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.70126

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