Percutaneous coronary intervention of saphenous vein grafts is associated with increased radiation exposure in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to evaluate radiation exposure during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) based on the culprit coronary artery in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients.

METHODS

A total of 504 NSTEMI patients were categorised into four groups according to the affected artery: left anterior descending, right coronary, circumflex, or saphenous vein graft (SVG). Radiation parameters, including dose area product (DAP), reference air kerma (RAK), number of exposures (NoE), and fluoroscopy time (FT), were analysed.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed in DAP, NoE, and FT among the groups (p = 0.009, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively),with no significant variation in RAK (p = 0.242). Group IV (PCI of SVG) showed higher values in DAP, NoE, and FT compared to other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

PCI of SVGs in NSTEMI patients moderately increases radiation exposure compared to PCI of native coronary arteries, whereas PCI of native coronary arteries does not significantly elevate radiation exposure risk in this patient population.