Optimization of the double dosimetry algorithm for interventional cardiologists Vadim Chumak n , Artem Morgun, Elena Bakhanova, Vitalii Voloskiy, Elena Borodynchik National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, 53 Melnikova Street, Kiev 04050, Ukraine HIGHLIGHTS  Flexible and adaptive double dosimetry algorithm building methodology was proposed.  Monte Carlo calculations were performed for variety of interventional cardiology irradiation conditions.  More precise and less conservative algorithm was developed for effective dose assessment in interventional cardiology. article info Article history: Received 23 June 2013 Accepted 13 January 2014 Keywords: Algorithm Double dosimetry Effective dose Interventional cardiology Monte Carlo simulation Optimization abstract A double dosimetry method is recommended in interventional cardiology (IC) to assess occupational exposure; yet currently there is no common and universal algorithm for effective dose estimation. In this work, flexible and adaptive algorithm building methodology was developed and some specific algorithm applicable for typical irradiation conditions of IC procedures was obtained. It was shown that the obtained algorithm agrees well with experimental measurements and is less conservative compared to other known algorithms. & 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Interventional radiology (IR) is a fast developing medical discipline that is quite special in terms of radiation dosimetry of the involved personnel and patients. Medical staff wears protec- tive gear that shields the body only partially, so the traditional personal single-dosimetry method for estimation of the effective dose becomes inappropriate. Currently the double dosimetry is quite common approach to solve this problem. According to a double dosimetry protocol, one of the two simultaneously exposed dosimeter is worn over the protective garment yielding readout H O for estimation of exposure of unshielded parts of the body and another is placed under a protective apron providing H U value, which takes into account protective properties of the garment. Then an effective dose estimate E' is achieved as a linear combination of two dosimeters readouts: E 0 ¼ αH U þ βH O ð1Þ Unfortunately, there is no international consensus on universal double dosimetry algorithm for the effective dose estimation under variety of irradiation conditions (Jarvinen et al., 2008). This conclu- sion was made after the comparison performed in the framework of CONRAD project (Schuhmacher and Fantuzzi, 2008) for a number of currently used algorithms, which were developed both experimen- tally and/or by calculations under typical IR conditions. The double dosimetry algorithms (Rosenstein and Webster, 1994; Niklason et al., 1994) seem to underestimate effective dose, while algorithms given by Wambersie and Delhove (1993) and Clerinx et al. (2008) seem to be rather conservative and overestimate effective dose by a factor of about two to three. Jarvinen et al. (2008) stated that among all tested double dosimetry algorithms, the variants given in the Swiss Ordinance for personal dosimetry (1999) and McEwan (2000) seem to give the closest estimation of effective dose in typical IR with no underestimation and minimum overestimation. However, the authors notified that the results might not be generic and highly recommended further investigation concerning application of algo- rithms under specified IR conditions. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/radphyschem Radiation Physics and Chemistry 0969-806X/$ - see front matter & 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2014.01.014 n Corresponding author. Tel./fax: þ380 444893414. E-mail addresses: chumak@leed1.kiev.ua (V. Chumak), artmorg@gmail.com (A. Morgun), elena.bakhanova@gmail.com (E. Bakhanova), vit.voloskyy@gmail.com (V. Voloskiy), alenkabhr@ukr.net (E. Borodynchik). Please cite this article as: Chumak, V., et al., Optimization of the double dosimetry algorithm for interventional cardiologists. Radiat. Phys. Chem. (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.radphyschem.2014.01.014i Radiation Physics and Chemistry ∎ (∎∎∎∎) ∎∎∎–∎∎∎