Radiation Protection - AGFA DR 400 User Manual

Radiation Protection

X-ray radiation can cause serious damage to the health, therefore observe
great care and ensure that protection against X-ray exposure is always
applied.
Some of the effects of X-ray radiation are cumulative and may extend over a
period of time. Therefore the X-ray operator should avoid exposure by X-ray
radiation at all times.
Objects in the path of the X-ray beam may produce scattered radiation. The
intensity depends on the energy and intensity of the X-ray exposure and the
material of the object. Protective measures have to be taken to prevent
exposure through scattered radiation.
Protective measures include:
• structural configuration of the X-ray room (e.g. lead shielded rooms)
• radiation protection for the operators (e.g. personal radiation dosimeters,
lead aprons, keep maximum distance from X-ray source, regular training,
etc.)
• protection of patients against unnecessary radiation (e.g. limitation of X-
ray field by collimation, lead shielding, lead aprons, etc.)
Topics:
• Monitoring of Personnel
• Protected area and significant zones of occupancy
Monitoring of Personnel
The monitoring checks the amount of X-ray radiation the personnel has been
exposed to. It determines safety of the operators and it helps checking if safety
measures of the X-ray environment are adequate. Inadequate or improper
protection can lead to serious damage to the health.
To measure radiation, personal radiation dosimeters are typically used. They
are worn on the body at all times during working in an environment where X-
ray radiation is applied. They provide an indication for the amount of
radiation the operator was exposed to.
Protected area and significant zones of occupancy
If the operator or staff does not need to be close to the patient during the
exposure, the operator and staff use the protected area to control the
following functions:
• selection of mode of operation
• selection of exposure settings (X-ray loading factors)
• actuation of the exposure button
• other necessary controls for the operator during exposure
DR 400 | Introduction | 35
3231A EN 20150710 1114