Use of 120 kilovolt tube potential for digital subtraction angiography and fluoroscopy in an image-intensifier angiographic system: decrease of skin dose in transarterial chemoembolization therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

In an image-intensifier angiographic system, the tube potential is commonly regulated in ranges from 75 to 90 kV for digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and fluoroscopy in transarterial chemoembolization therapy (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not a 120-kV tube potential could be used for DSA and fluoroscopy in TACE to decrease the skin dose. Forty-three patients administered TACE were randomly allocated into two groups: TACE was performed using standard-kilovoltage (75- to 90-kV) DSA and fluoroscopy modes (group A; n = 20) or using high-kilovoltage (120-kV) modes (group B; n = 23). The peak skin dose was compared between the groups. One case in group A was excluded from the study because the HCC nodule was not depicted on DSA. The peak skin dose (mGy) for group A was 383.6 +/- 176.5 and that for group B was 265.1 +/- 145.1. The peak skin dose was decreased by 31% in the 120-kV mode, a statistically significant difference (t-test, p = 0.022). We conclude that the use of 120 kV tube potential for DSA and fluoroscopy may be one option for performing TACE while decreasing the skin dose.