Managing Radiation Exposure to Endourologists during Pregnancy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This manuscript provides a comprehensive review of the risks of radiation exposure in endourology and highlights strategies to ensure the health and safety of endourologists during pregnancy. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have measured radiation exposure to endourologists during fluoroscopic procedures, underscoring the role of protective measures such as lead shielding, low-dose fluoroscopy, and pulsed imaging to significantly reduce radiation doses. Adherence to these strategies enables endourologists to safely perform fluoroscopic procedures throughout pregnancy while staying within recommended exposure limits. This review outlines the latest research on radiation exposure in endourology with a focus on exposure risks during pregnancy. Major findings include insights into potential stochastic and dose-dependent effects of radiation exposure on pregnant endourologists and their fetuses as well as effective dose-reduction strategies to mitigate these risks. Further research is needed to improve individual understanding of exposure risks and establish standardized institutional and policy frameworks for radiation safety during pregnancy.

Duke Scholars

Author Jodi Antonelli Urology