Fwd: Re: Patient Survey during BetaCath Procedure

[Chris Alston <alstonc@ODRGE.ODR.GEORGETOWN.EDU>]

>Sender: Global Medical Physics Mailing List

>From: Harry Tyler <tylerh@EXEMPLA.ORG>

>

>

>We do the survey here... I suppose it's a good idea in case all the 

>sources don't come back. You might be able to get an idea of how many are 

>located where in the patient, though I have to admit it seems like a very 

>conservative safety measure. It was distracting to the cardiologists at 

>first, but now they're used to it. They even refrain from fluoroing now 

>when they see me bring out the survey meter!

>

>Hank

>

>

>Hank Tyler, M.S.

>Radiation Oncology

>Exempla St. Joseph Hospital

>1835 Franklin St.

>Denver CO 80218

>303-866-8910

>tylerh@exempla.org







>We've now done a few Intravascular Brachytherapy cases with the Novoste 

>BetaCath system.  Everything in the User's Manual made sense except the 

>following.  Step N.8 says that while the sources are positioned in the 

>patient's heart,

>

>"Perform  a Radiation Survey of the patient's chest and groin area and 

>note results."

>

>If we can see the leading and trailing gold markers on the fluoro monitor, 

>what purpose is served by measuring the dose rate at the patient's chest 

>and groin?   We already know the sources are in the heart because we can 

>see them.

>

>The survey is a distraction to the cardiologist and can be a problem if 

>the meter breaks the sterile field.  Plus the physicist needs to be 

>operating the stop watch.

>

>Do other users continue to perform the intra-treatment survey?  Or is it 

>reasonable to skip this step?





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