radiation shielding

• primary radiation (useful beam) :

  • the most intense and therefore the most hazardou and difficult shield
  • radiation that interacts with the patient to create an image
• secondary radiation: all radiation aside from the useful beam
• scatter radiation/backscatter radiation:

  • results when the useful beam intercepts an object, causing some x-rays to be scattered
  • radiation that comes out from the patient and are scattered back in the direction of the incident beam
• leakage radiation: radiation that is emitted from the x-ray tube housing with equal intensity in all directions other than the useful beam
• remnant radiation:

  • x-rays that pass through the patient and interact with the image receptor
  • radiation reaches the image receptr and forms the latent image
• penumbra:

  • also called as off-focus radiation
  • results of x-ray photons being created in all areas of the focal spot rather than just a single point
  • geometric unsharpness
• exit beam: radiation that exit the patient and interacts/reaches the image receptor
• primary barrier:

  • pathways where the x-ray tube is directed to
  • intercept the useful beam and require the greates amount of lead and concrete
• function of the primary barrier: protect the adjacent rooms from secondary radiation
• secondary barrier:

  • found between the x-ray machine and the control console to protect the radiologic technologist from exposure to secondary radiation
• made up of 0.5mm of lead:

  1. lead apron
  2. lead gloves
  3. thyroid shield
  4. gonadal shield
• made up of 0.35mm of lead: lead goggles