When should you use gonad shielding?
Gonad shielding of not less than 0.5 mm lead equivalent shall be used for patients who have not passed the reproductive age1 defined as ages 45 and below, during radiographic procedures in which the gonads are in the useful beam, except for cases in which a properly placed shield would interfere with the diagnostic …
When was gonadal shielding introduced?
Gonadal shielding was initially introduced in the 1950s due to concerns for hereditary effects from radiation (if parent gonads are irradiated, future offspring will inherit DNA mutations).
What regulatory organizations require the use of patient gonadal shielding?
In 1976, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced a recommenda- tion in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (FDA 2019) that shielding should be used to protect the gonads from radiation exposure that may have genetic effects through mutations in germ cells (FDA 1976).
What is gonad shielding?
A procedure used to help keep a person fertile by preventing damage to reproductive organs during radiation therapy. A protective shield is placed on the outside of the body to cover the area of the gonads (the testicles or ovaries) and other parts of the reproductive system during radiation therapy.
Is shielding in radiology necessary?
Medical experts have recently concluded that patient shielding during diagnostic medical imaging, a common practice for more than 70 years, is no longer necessary. In the 1950s, doctors began to shield reproductive glands and a pregnant woman’s fetus during medical imaging.
Is patient shielding necessary?
Studies have shown that shielding patients provides very little to no benefit. This is because lead only protects you from radiation outside of your body, not inside. Therefore, when a patient receives an x-ray, we take care to expose only the area necessary for the exam.
What is the primary reason for discontinuing the routine use of patient gonadal and fetal shielding?
Patient shielding may jeopardize the benefits of undergoing radiological imaging. Use of these shields during X-ray based diagnostic imaging may obscure anatomic information or interfere with the automatic exposure control of the imaging system.
Which of the following are types of gonad shields?
There are three basic types of gonadal shield. These are the contact shield, the shadow shield and the shaped contact shield. These shields should have at least 0.5 mm lead equivalent.
What can block Xrays?
Lead is the most widely used shielding material, because its ability to efficiently shield X-rays is superior to that of other materials owing to its high Z number, high density, and low cost.
How do xrays travel?
X-rays form a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. They travel in straight lines (like light); this is known as rectilinear propagation. X-rays travel with the speed of light. There are, however, no methods of bending or breaking them (as can be done with light), and, therefore, their direction cannot be altered.
What is the use of shielding?
The purpose of shielding is to protect the patients (when not being examined), X-Ray department staff, visitors and the general public, as well as the people working near the X-Ray facility.
What is the primary concern regarding radiation exposure to the gonads?
1) Radiation doses used in diagnostic imaging are not associated with measurable harm to the gonads or fetus. The main concern with radiation exposure to the reproductive organs has been an increased risk of hereditary effects.