[Paediatric varicocele embolization dosimetric study]. / Estudio dosimétrico de la embolización endovascular de varicocele en pacientes pediátricos.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Varicocele is a benign condition, often asymptomatic, that appears among young men with a normal life expectancy. The endovascular embolization is a minimally invasive therapeutic procedure indicated for varicocele treatment, although there are safe surgical alternatives. It is essential to know the radiological risk associated with the procedure. The aim of this work is to determine local dose levels in paediatric varicocele embolization, in order to minimize and to estimate the radiological risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the retrospective study, 15 cases were analyzed, all of which were paediatric patients (10-18 years). The screening time and the dose-area product were known, as provided by the X-ray equipment. In the prospective study, dose optimization techniques were implemented, and in addition, radiographic films were used in order to verify the radiated zone and termoluminiscense dosimeters in order to evaluate gonad dose and maximum skin dose for 10 paediatric patients (10-16 years). RESULTS: In the retrospective group, the average effective dose was 8.8 mSv. The total average risk of a fatal cancer induction in any location was 0.16%, and 0.0007% for hereditary effects. The maximum skin dose was 250 mGy, which is far from the threshold for deterministic effects (2 Gy). In the prospective group, dose and radiological risk decreased by more than 70%. CONCLUSIONS: Hereditary effects were very low in contrast to the fatal cancer risk estimation. According to the results we can discard deterministic effects, unless complications appear in the procedure. Radiation exposure must be optimized. It is necessary that medical staff know the radiological risks associated with the intervention, and inform the patients about them.

Estudio dosimétrico de la embolización endovascular de varicocele en pacientes pediátricos / Paediatric varicocele embolization dosimetric study

Introducción y objetivos: El varicocele es una anomalía benigna que se detecta generalmente en pacientes jóvenes, y para cuyo tratamiento existen técnicas quirúrgicas. La embolización endovascular es un procedimiento terapéutico alternativo mínimamente invasivo, pero con un riesgo radiológico asociado que resulta esencial conocer para valorar el método de tratamiento más adecuado. El objetivo del trabajo es determinar niveles locales de dosis recibidas en embolizaciones de varicocele en pacientes pediátricos y minimizarlas, estimando el riesgo radiológico. Material y métodos: El estudio se ha realizado en dos fases; una retrospectiva para 15 embolizaciones en pacientes con edades comprendidas entre 10 y 18 años, sin intervención previa en el método de trabajo, y otra prospectiva para 10pacientes de 10 a 16 años de edad, utilizando algunas técnicas de reducción de dosis implementadas en el equipo. Se conocía el tiempo de es copia y el valor del producto dosis-área de cada intervención. Además, en la fase prospectiva, se han utilizado dosímetros termoluminescentes para la evaluación de la dosis máxima de entrada en piel, y películas radiográficas para verificar la zona irradiada. Resultados: La dosis efectiva media estimada en el estudio retrospectivo fue de 8.8 mSv. El riesgo total medio de inducción de cáncer fatal en cualquier localización fue un 0.16%, siendo un 0.0007% para los efectos hereditarios. La dosis máxima de entrada en piel fue de 250 mGy, siendo 2 Gy el umbral de dosis para la aparición de efectos deterministas en piel. Para los pacientes del estudio prospectivo, las dosis y el riesgo radiológico se redujeron en más de un 70%. Conclusiones: La estimación de riesgo radiológico estocástico es relativamente elevada comparada con el riesgo de complicaciones severas en las intervenciones quirúrgicas de varicocele, excepto para el caso de efectos hereditarios. Son descartables los efectos de tipo determinista, salvo en complicaciones del procedimiento. La exposición a la radiación debe ser optimizada. Es necesario que los clínicos prescriptores e intervencionistas conozcan los riesgos radiológicos asociados a la intervención e informen a sus pacientes (AU)

Introduction and objectives: Varicocele is a benign condition, often asymptomatic, that appears among young men with a normal life expectancy. The endovascular embolization is a minimally invasive therapeutic procedure indicated for varicocele treatment, although there are safe surgical alternatives. It is essential to know the radiological risk associated with the procedure. The aim of this work is to determine local dose levels in paediatric varicocele embolization, in order to minimize and to estimate the radiological risk. Material and methods: In the retrospective study, 15 cases were analyzed, all of which were paediatric patients (10-18 years). The screening time and the dose-area product were known, as provided by the X-ray equipment. In the prospective study, dose optimization techniques were implemented, and in addition, radiographic films were used in order to verify the radiated zone and termoluminiscense dosimeters in order to evaluate gonad dose and maximum skin dose for10 paediatric patients (10-16 years). Results: In the retrospective group, the average effective dose was 8.8 mSv. The total average risk of a fatal cancer induction in any location was 0.16%, and 0.0007% for hereditary effects. The maximum skin dose was 250 mGy, which is far from the threshold for deterministic effects (2 Gy). In the prospective group, dose and radiological risk decreased by more than 70%.Conclusions: Hereditary effects were very low in contrast to the fatal cancer risk estimation. According to the results we can discard deterministic effects, unless complications appear in the procedure. Radiation exposure must be optimized. It is necessary that medical staff know the radiological risks associated with the intervention, and inform the patients about them (AU)