Patient radiation doses during invasive cardiac procedures categorised by clinical code.

Patient radiation doses delivered during invasive fluoroscopic cardiology procedures at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire during a 3 year period from November 1999 to August 2002, and comprising 6189 patient records, have been analysed. Cases have been stratified using classification codes from the Office of Population Census and Surveys (OPCS-4 codes), allowing representative doses to be assessed for 34 distinct types of cardiac radiological procedure. In addition, local guidance levels have been derived for the eight most common procedures. This work represents one of the largest and most detailed published studies of patient radiation dose during cardiac procedures, and should assist in meeting the IR(ME)R regulations requirement for establishment of diagnostic reference levels, and in enabling dose optimization of individual exposures.

Testing a steam-formaldehyde sterilizer for gas penetration efficiency.

A test piece is described for monitoring the performance of low-temperature steam-with-formaldehyde sterilizers. Comparative tests have shown it to be more difficult to penetrate than an arterial catheter when exposed to the same sterilizing conditions. It is permanent and simple to use and maintain. The growth or non-growth of bacterial spores, in the convenient form of spore strips, is used to indicate the efficacy of sterilization.