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NEWS &
INFORMATION
Acute Radiation Injury
Diagnostic X Ray Exposures
Have Recently Caused Acute Radiation Damage
In March of 1990 a case was reported about
an x-ray burn which was produced during an invasive fluoroscopic
procedure. A paper presented at RSNA in 1995 and scheduled for publication
in Radiographics in September 1996 is available for review on the CDRH's
home page:
Radiation-induced
Skin Injuries from Fluoroscopy, Thomas B. Shope, Ph.D.
The x-ray procedure was a coronary
angiography and coronary angioplasty followed by a second angiography
procedure due to complications. It was estimated that the entrance skin
dose exceeded 20 Gy or 2000 rad. While doses of this magnitude are
difficult to deliver during normal interventional procedures, care must be
taken with fluoroscopy systems with high level override controls,
fluoroscopic systems manufactured prior to 1977 and in long or repetitive
procedures.
This case and a similar case are currently
in litigation.. Neither case occurred in Pennsylvania. The FDA has held
hearings with the intention of revising its standards to further reduce
maximum fluoroscopic dose rates. More details will be provided when
available.
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Early tissue damage.
6-8 weeks post procedure. |
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Further progression of the
lesion. |
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Appearance of skin injury
18-21 months post exposure with tissue necrosis. |
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Close-up views of the
lesion prior to graft. (rotated 90 degrees) |
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Appearance of patient's
back following the skin grafting procedure. |
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