Senate committee advances bills to install radiation-protection systems in cath labs

The Arizona Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Jan. 20 advanced three related measures aimed at reducing occupational radiation exposure for clinicians who work in cardiac catheterization laboratories.

The bills — Senate Bill 11 20 (installation requirement), SB 11 18 (grant funding for rural hospitals) and SB 11 21 (rules on lead-apron use and required dosimetry) — were the subject of extended testimony from interventional cardiologists, hospital executives and frontline staff. After hearing evidence and public comment, the committee adopted sponsor amendments and gave the three bills due-pass recommendations.

Why it matters: Witnesses described long-term cancer and orthopedic risks tied to cumulative radiation exposure and the burdens of wearing heavy lead aprons. Proponents argued that enhanced radiation protection systems (ERPDs) can cut exposure for physicians and entire teams to near zero, improve workforce safety and help sustain the pipeline of interventional specialists.

What supporters told the committee: Dr. David Ryzak of Banner University said decades of practice show elevated cancer and cataract rates and described orthopedic injuries that have forced clinicians to curtail or leave practice. “By the time you are mid career, you've taken an equivalent of 25 to 50,000 chest X-ray equivalents to the face,” Ryzak said during testimony, underscoring his point that current lead aprons leave critical areas unprotected. Dr. Paul Saroja presented data from studies and recent institutional installs, saying that when ERPDs are in place they can “eliminate” nearly all operator exposure in real cases and that Banner had recorded zero exposure on active dosimeter badges in a recent Rampart-equipped room.

Cost and scope: Witnesses estimated a typical ERPD installation at roughly $150,000, with an additional roughly $30,000 for real-time dosimetry equipment in early rollouts; vendors told the committee they were offering concessions for early adopters. Committee members pressed on whether the devices are regulated — witnesses said the systems are FDA-cleared — and on which facilities would be covered; proponents said the bills are intended to apply where cardiac catheterization procedures occur.

Amendments and votes: The committee adopted the Warner amendments that narrowed and clarified application and added the dosimetry requirement for staff who opt not to wear lead aprons; it then gave SB 11 20 and SB 11 21 due-pass recommendations as amended and SB 11 18 a due-pass recommendation. The committee recorded unanimous or near-unanimous support on the radiation items.

What comes next: The bills now move to the Senate floor for further consideration. Committee members asked staff to circulate the joint clinical statement the witnesses said was forthcoming and to coordinate a stakeholder meeting with hospital associations before floor action.