12/14/2021
By Susan Pryputniewicz

The Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology Program invites you to attend a dissertation defense by Abdulrahman Abu Aqil on “Leveraging Effective Dose in Reducing Radiation Exposure: Advancing Cardiac Catheterization Lab Safety Optimization”.

Ph.D. Candidate: Abdulrahman Abu Aqil
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021
Time: 10:00 am – noon

Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should contact the student Abdulrahman_AbuAqil@student.uml.edu and committee member Mark_Tries@uml.edu at least 24 hours prior to the dissertation defense to request access to the meeting.

Committee Chair (Advisor): Mark Tries, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Committee Members:

  • Mufeed Mah’d, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Garelnabi Mahdi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Steven Snay, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Director of Radiation Safety, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:
The objective of this study is to help maintain radiation doses to staff and patients due to procedures performed in a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (CCL) as low as is reasonably achievable, and this study will focus exclusively on CCLs at various hospitals in Saudi Arabia. To meet the objective, data from these CCLs were collected, including machine settings used for various CCL procedures, dose to patients, and patient parameters. Analyses of the data identified relationships between patient dose and patient habitus, patient dose and type of procedure, and were used to establish suitable Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) for CCL procedures. At present, DRLs are not used widely in Saudi Arabia, but their use can have a positive impact on staff and patient safety. Recommendations based on observations and data analysis will help to incrementally reduce radiation doses in the CCL environment in Saudi Arabia while enabling best practices in patient diagnosis.

All interested persons are welcome to attend.