Why is this study important? 

Radiation exposure and orthopedic injuries related to wearing lead aprons in the catheterization lab should concern all of us working in the field of interventional cardiology. There has been little advancement in radiation protection technology in the last half-century until the recent development of novel radiation shielding systems. There are multiple such systems on the market, but data documenting a decrease in radiation exposure has been scarce. 

What question was the study supposed to answer?

This is a single-center, observational study that aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Protego radiation shielding system (Image Diagnostics, Inc. Fitchburg, MA) by comparing radiation exposure with the shielding system compared to standard shielding during coronary and structural procedures.

What did the study show?  

The Protego system was associated with a 99% reduction in operator radiation exposure compared to standard lead shielding alone. Zero radiation exposure was reported in 60% of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) cases and 73.2% of coronary cases. Notably, operators wore lead aprons in both groups as, at the time of the study, there was no guidance from the state (Arizona) on the use of Protego in the absence of lead aprons. As such, future investigation into radiation exposure in the absence of concomitant lead aprons is warranted.