In a recent study, published in this month's issue of JACC Cardiovascular Interventions, a team from UC San Diego found that interventional cardiologists receive significantly higher radiation exposure to the left side of their head compared to the right side during PCI procedures. Participants in the BRAIN Study wore caps outfitted with dosimeters to measure radiation dose to the left, center, and right sides of the head. They found that radiation exposure on the outside left was 4.7 times higher than the outside right. This study calls to attention the need to find more comprehensive means of protecting providers during procedures.

Robotic technology for coronary interventions has been receiving buzz lately as recent studies shed light on the serious occupational risks of interventional cardiology. Early adopters of robotic PCI are citing the importance of radiation protection, particularly as it relates to more complex procedures, as a core benefit of the technology. In this month's issue of Diagnostic & Interventional Cardiology, Editor Dave Fornell spoke with two leading interventional cardiologists who have started robotics programs at their institutions. Their experience sheds light on the common misconception that robotics is only for simple cases, citing use in bifurcation lesions, acute AMI, and high-risk procedures requiring ventricular assist where precision and accuracy are important and protection for physicians is critical.

In last month's newsletter we highlighted the recent San Diego Cardiovascular Interventions course which took place in July. During the conference, Dr. Ehtisham Mahmud and his team performed 2 complex robotic-assisted PCI procedures which were transmitted from the UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center. The cases, which are now available to view on VuMedi, highlight the value and applicability of robotics during complex procedures, including one high-risk case requiring the use of a ventricular assist device, where both the precision and protection capabilities of the CorPath System were important factors.

We recently announced a distribution agreement allowing Corindus to offer the RaySafe i2 real-time radiation dose monitoring system in conjunction with the CorPath System, enabling catheterization lab physicians and staff to better protect themselves from, and monitor for, excessive radiation exposure. "With today's available robotic and dose monitoring technologies, there is no reason for cath lab staff to be exposed to any more than the absolute minimum radiation that is required," said Tal Wenderow, Co-Founder, Executive Vice President Product & Business Development of Corindus.