EP 113: Your Guide to Radiation Hygiene: Insights from Manufacturer and Users

Parallax by Ankur Kalra

This week on Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Eric Radtke, Vice President at Worldwide Innovations & Technologies, Inc, and Barbara Breininger, a cardiovascular radiologic technologist and clinical manager with 26 years of experience. This special episode dives deep into the crucial topic of radiation hygiene, exploring it from the perspectives of both manufacturers and users of radiation safety products. Barbara Breininger shares her experiences traveling nationwide to educate healthcare professionals on radiation safety, emphasizing the need for collective awareness and best practices in cath labs. Eric Radtke discusses the company's evolving focus on radiation safety, the origins of their initiatives, and the concerning impacts of radiation exposure as revealed by recent studies. We'll also explore practical steps to enhance safety and delve into the RADPAD tools that can shield interventional cardiologists and allied professionals from exposure. How can we protect ourselves from radiation in the Cath lab? How can we raise awareness of radiation hygiene? Trials mentioned in the episode: Aizer A, Qiu JK, Cheng AV, et al. Utilization of a Radiation Safety Time-Out Reduces Radiation Exposure During Electrophysiology Procedures. JACC EP 2019; 5:5:626-634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2018.12.002 Ahmad IM, Abdalla YM, Moore TA, et al. Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation Exhibit Altered Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines and Redox Parameters. Antioxidants 2019; 8:1. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8010012 Support: This episode is supported by Radcliffe Cardiology; it received no funding from Worldwide Innovations & Technologies.