Lead protects pacemakers from radiation

Published in MPW, 12 Jan 2016

Lead shields provide a simple and inexpensive way to reduce radiation delivered to pacemakers during radiation therapy, according to a study by scientists in Canada. The protection is modest in many instances, but can in some cases reduce radiation by 40%, cutting the risk of pacemaker failure (J. Appl. Clin. Med. Phys. 16 411).

An ageing population has led to ever greater numbers of people receiving cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), and many of those at some point have to undergo radiation therapy. There are two main types of CIED: the regular pacemaker and an implantable cardiac defibrillator, which in addition to the pacemaker’s normal function can defibrillate. Either type is susceptible to radiation damage. […]

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