Egg Medical Shield Cuts Heart Lab Radiation Doses - Study

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- Egg Medical announced a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that its EggNest radiation protection system reduced radiation doses enough for heart lab staff to work without heavy lead aprons.

In a statement, the company said the study was conducted at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, and evaluated the company’s EggNest enhanced radiation protection devices (ERPDs).

“The EggNest system protects the entire team so they can choose to go apron-free or wear ultralight aprons that feel like a light vest.

“This comprehensive data provides interventional teams with an evidence-based pathway to significantly reduce orthopaedic strain while enhancing radiation safety,” said The Christ Hospital interventional cardiologist Dr Santiago Garcia, who is also the study’s principal investigator.

The estimated annual collar dose for primary operators fell from 86.7 millirem (mRem) with standard shielding to 25.5 mRem with EggNest Complete ERPD. For comparison, a five- to six-hour flight exposes passengers to about 3.5 mRem, according to the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Total radiation doses for all lab staff using EggNest Complete, including primary operators, scrub assistants and circulating nurses, were one per cent of the 5,000 mRem annual maximum set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

When paired with ultralight 0.125 millimetre (mm) aprons, the system cut the primary operator’s annual dose to 1.4 mRem, compared with 51.4 mRem for traditional 0.5mm lead aprons with standard shielding.

Egg Medical also said the Texas Department of State Health Services recently granted a state radiation variance to Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio.

-- BERNAMA