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Radiation EffectsBRAINNCT01910272

Brain Radiation Exposure and Attenuation During Invasive Cardiology Procedures

An observational study of Radiation Effects, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Invasive cardiac procedures involve procedural guidance with x-rays in the form of fluoroscopy. X-ray exposure poses a potential risk of acute and long-term complications to staff involved in these procedures. Lead shields are placed between the operators (on their left side) and the x-ray source to limit exposure. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Radiation Effects
What is being tested?
All subjects are wearing the non-lead attenuation cap (BLOXR)
Type of treatment
Medical device
How many people
11 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jan 2013to Jul 2013
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: We plan to enroll up to 12 invasive cardiologists routinely performing cardiac catheterization procedures at the UCSD Medical Center, La Jolla campus. We plan to monitor radiation exposure in at least 50 cases for each operator.

Who may be able to join

  • 18 years or older
  • Routinely performing cardiac catheterization procedures as the primary or secondary operators

Who cannot join

  • Cases with emergent indications including STEMI will be excluded
  • Cases consisting of solely right heart catheterization will be excluded

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of California, San Diego, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center

    La Jolla, California, 92093

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Brain Radiation Exposure and Attenuation During Invasive Cardiology Procedures.

Invasive cardiac procedures involve procedural guidance with x-rays in the form of fluoroscopy. X-ray exposure poses a potential risk of acute and long-term complications to staff involved in these procedures. Lead shields are placed between the operators (on their left side) and the x-ray source to limit exposure. However as the operator requires direct access to the patient and x-ray scatter occurs, full protection is not possible. Lead gowns, thyroid collars, and leaded glasses are typically worn to protect the body, thyroid, and eyes respectively, but their thickness is limited by their relatively heavy weight. Nevertheless this leaves the brain exposed. Further, interest in the risk of brain cancer in invasive cardiologists has re-emerged after a recent report of left-sided brain cancer in primary operators of interventional cardiology procedures. Lead caps have been tested in the past but the relatively heavyweight of lead has limited wide-spread implementation. The cap typically worn during invasive procedures is lightweight, has no significant x-ray absorption properties, and is worn to help maintain a sterile environment. A novel, lead-free cap, composed mainly of barium sulfate and bismuth oxide, has been developed that has been shown to absorb x-rays while being significantly lighter than lead. The investigators propose using multiple x-ray detectors to test exposure differences between the primary and secondary operators, the left side and right side of the head, and absorption via a lead-free cap.

Read the detailed description

This is a prospective study evaluating radiation exposure to operators of invasive cardiovascular procedures at the UCSD Medical Center in La Jolla. Primary and secondary operators of cardiac catheterization procedures using fluoroscopy guidance, including cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, and interventional procedures will wear multiple dosimeters to evaluate levels of radiation exposure. The primary and secondary operators will wear six dosimeters on their heads; three outside the non-lead attenuating cap and three underneath the cap. Above and beneath the cap, the dosimeters will be on the left side, in the center, and on the right side of the head. The dosimeters will be worn for a target of at least 50 procedures for each operator. The primary operators will be closest to the procedural site and the fluoroscopy unit for the majority of the procedure, while the secondary operators will be to the right side of the primary operators during the procedures. The operators will maintain this designation while participating in the study. All operators will continue to wear the dosimeters issued by the catheterization laboratory as part of standard radiation monitoring.

Each operator will be assigned six dosimeters, which will be secured within the cap at the time of assignment. The use of each cap and respective set of dosimeters will be recorded in a log book in the secure cardiac catheterization laboratory and associated with specific cardiac case numbers. Specific factors related to operator radiation exposure for each procedure will be recorded including: operator height, patient weight and BMI, dose area product (DAP), fluoroscopy time, length of procedure, type of procedure, access site, and complexity of procedure as determined by the attending physician. The operators will comment on the comfort of the cap using a semi-quantitative scale and the levels of exposure will be measured from the dosimeters. The operators will also be asked to compare and contrast the study cap with any other attenuating or non-attenuating cap that has been previously worn. At the conclusion of the study, statistical analysis will be performed to determine the differential levels of exposure between the primary and secondary operators, between different sides of the head, and the attenuation ability of the XPF cap. The dosimeters on the outside of the cap will serve as the control in evaluating the attenuating ability of the cap compared to the corresponding dosimeters on the inside. Each dosimeter location on the outside of the cap will be compared to the other locations for both the outside and the inside sets. And finally, the exposure measurements will be compared between the primary and secondary operators for each dosimeter location. The specific factors listed above that affect operator exposure will be taken into account as well.

Being tested
All subjects are wearing the non-lead attenuation cap (BLOXR)
Keywords
Radiation attenuation, Fluoroscopy, Invasive cardiac procedures, Cardiac Catheterization

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • All subjects are wearing the non-lead attenuation cap (BLOXR)Device

    Also called Attenuating cap, BLOXR

    The cap is worn by all subjects with dosimeters secured both inside and outside the cap.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Differential radiation exposure from corresponding locations on the outside and inside of the non-lead attenuating cap.

    Measured: Radiation exposure has been ongoing and will be assessed upon dosimeter measurement in within 1 month by an independent radiation monitoring service.

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Differential radiation exposure between the left and right sides of the heads of invasive cardiology operators.

    Measured: Dosimeters measurement to be read/reported within one month.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted29 Jul 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2013
  3. Primary completionJul 2013

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
11 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01910272
Sponsor's protocol ID
UCSD #120980
Acronym
BRAIN
Status last verified
Jul 2013
First submitted
19 Jul 2013
Last updated
29 Jul 2013
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Andreassi MG, Cioppa A, Botto N, Joksic G, Manfredi S, Federici C, Ostojic M, Rubino P, Picano E. Somatic DNA damage in interventional cardiologists: a case-control study. FASEB J. 2005 Jun;19(8):998-9. doi: 10.1096/fj.04-3287fje. Epub 2005 Mar 31.

    PubMed 15802491
  • Andreassi MG, Foffa I, Manfredi S, Botto N, Cioppa A, Picano E. Genetic polymorphisms in XRCC1, OGG1, APE1 and XRCC3 DNA repair genes, ionizing radiation exposure and chromosomal DNA damage in interventional cardiologists. Mutat Res. 2009 Jun 18;666(1-2):57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2009.04.003. Epub 2009 Apr 22.

    PubMed 19393248
  • Bernardi G, Padovani R, Morocutti G, Vano E, Malisan MR, Rinuncini M, Spedicato L, Fioretti PM. Clinical and technical determinants of the complexity of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedures: analysis in relation to radiation exposure parameters. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2000 Sep;51(1):1-9; discussion 10. doi: 10.1002/1522-726x(200009)51:13.0.co;2-k.

    PubMed 10973008
  • Goni H, Papadopoulou D, Yakoumakis E, Stratigis N, Benos J, Siriopoulou V, Makri T, Georgiou E. Investigation of occupational radiation exposure during interventional cardiac catheterisations performed via radial artery. Radiat Prot Dosimetry. 2005;117(1-3):107-10. doi: 10.1093/rpd/nci763. Epub 2006 Feb 3.

    PubMed 16461487
  • Kim KP, Miller DL, Balter S, Kleinerman RA, Linet MS, Kwon D, Simon SL. Occupational radiation doses to operators performing cardiac catheterization procedures. Health Phys. 2008 Mar;94(3):211-27. doi: 10.1097/01.HP.0000290614.76386.35.

    PubMed 18301095
  • Kuon E, Birkel J, Schmitt M, Dahm JB. Radiation exposure benefit of a lead cap in invasive cardiology. Heart. 2003 Oct;89(10):1205-10. doi: 10.1136/heart.89.10.1205.

    PubMed 12975420
  • Roguin A, Goldstein J, Bar O. Brain tumours among interventional cardiologists: a cause for alarm? Report of four new cases from two cities and a review of the literature. EuroIntervention. 2012 Jan;7(9):1081-6. doi: 10.4244/EIJV7I9A172.

    PubMed 22207231
  • Reeves RR, Ang L, Bahadorani J, Naghi J, Dominguez A, Palakodeti V, Tsimikas S, Patel MP, Mahmud E. Invasive Cardiologists Are Exposed to Greater Left Sided Cranial Radiation: The BRAIN Study (Brain Radiation Exposure and Attenuation During Invasive Cardiology Procedures). JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2015 Aug 17;8(9):1197-1206. doi: 10.1016/j.jcin.2015.03.027.

    PubMed 26292583

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Radiation Effects, run by University of California, San Diego at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jul 2013. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Differential radiation exposure from corresponding locations on the outside and inside of the non-lead attenuating cap. (time frame: Radiation exposure has been ongoing and will be assessed upon dosimeter measurement in within 1 month by an independent radiation monitoring service.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01910272, which also lists 8 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jul 2013.

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