If you feel that there are no additional risks of constantly performing fluoroscopic procedures, I'm afraid you are mistaken. The most likely adverse event to the physician is actually from eye exposure, which can lead to cataracts. The relative risk varies, but it has been proven on multiple occasions that you are more likely to get cataracts. Most people who perform IR procedures on a regular basis use eye protection to limit this risk. However, it is likely still elevated.
Of course you wear lead aprons and thyroid shields to minimize your body radiation dose. Additional precautions, like using the lowest available frame rate, using tight collimation, planning your runs carefully, always using the face shield, keeping the table height high and the detector close to the patient, and taking your foot off the fluoro pedal can limit the dose. You also refrain from fluoro while your hands are in the x-ray field. When possible, you perform high dose runs when outside of the room. And contrary to how the post above makes it sound, the tech performing the run is also outside the room. Some runs, however, are performed in the room by necessity (for instance, you cannot use a power injector).
I don't know if there is a proven higher risk of cancer for interventionalists, but in all likelihood it is somewhat higher for general cancers that are increased by radiation dose, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Moreover, areas that are unprotected, such as the skin, may have a slightly increased risk. If studies have not shown an increased risk, it is possible that the sample sizes are too small (as there are not that many IR docs anyway, let alone IR docs getting skin cancer). This is something to consider if becoming and IR physician, but although the added of cancer risk is real it is likely not that high.
As for those who have pointed out the possibility of using ultrasound and MR, this can limit some of your radiation dose. However, the majority of procedures in an IR practice (dialysis access work, line placements, IVC filters, LPs, angiograms, etc) can be performed only with x-rays at this time. Some procedures, such as biopsies, can be done with ultrasound. CT guided procedures typically are done with the doctor outside the room while scanning, so there is essentially 0 dose, unless using CT fluoroscopy. Overall, probably 60-80% of IR cases in many practices require fluoro. Don't fool yourself into thinking you could completely avoid it.
