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Radiation Shielding Considerations

The document discusses shielding considerations in radiology, focusing on protecting individuals from radiation exposure. It outlines exposure limits for controlled and uncontrolled areas, factors influencing shielding design, and the importance of conservative estimates in shielding calculations. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for state approval and testing of shielding integrity and adequacy based on specific layouts and workloads.

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Bid R
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42 views17 pages

Radiation Shielding Considerations

The document discusses shielding considerations in radiology, focusing on protecting individuals from radiation exposure. It outlines exposure limits for controlled and uncontrolled areas, factors influencing shielding design, and the importance of conservative estimates in shielding calculations. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for state approval and testing of shielding integrity and adequacy based on specific layouts and workloads.

Uploaded by

Bid R
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Resident

Resident Physics
Physics Lectures
Lectures

Shielding

George David
Associate Professor
Department of Radiology
Medical College of Georgia
Typical
Typical Shielding
Shielding Problem
Problem

George
David
Shielding
Shielding Considerations
Considerations

• Whom are we protecting?


• Workload
• Type of studies performed
• Distances
• Occupancy
• Primary / secondary
• Use
George
David
Whom
Whom Are
Are We
We Protecting?
Protecting?

George
David
Exposure
Exposure Limits
Limits

• Controlled areas
 0.1 mGy / week
 10 mrad / week
 5 mGy / year

• Uncontrolled areas
 .02 mGy / week
 2 mrad / week
 1 mGy / year

• Film
 0.1 mGy during storage period
Controlled
Controlled vs.
vs. Non-
Non-
Controlled
Controlled Areas
Areas
Workload
Workload

• mA-min beam on at each kVp

• # patients
• # images / patient

George
David
Barrier
Barrier Considerations
Considerations

• Is beam directed at this barrier?


• Primary or Secondary?
• Distance?
• What fraction of time?
 Use factor

• What’s behind the barrier?


Barriers
Barriers

George
David
Use
Use Factor
Factor

• Fraction of time beam aimed


at each barrier
Typical Primary Barriers

Barrier Use Factor


Floor 0.89
Cross Table Wall 0.09
Other Walls 0.02
Chest Bucky Wall 1.00
George
David
Occupancy
Occupancy Factor
Factor

• Fraction of time the maximally


exposed individual is present while
beam on

George
David
Locations
Locations Assumed
Assumed to
to
have
have Full
Full Occupancy
Occupancy

• Offices
• Labs
• Reception
• Reading room
• Nurses station
• Control Room
Occupancy
Occupancy Factor
Factor
Location Occupancy
Factor
Exam / treatment ½

Corridors, lounges 1/5


Corridor doors 1/8
Public toilets, storage, 1/20
outdoor seating
Outdoor, parking lots 1/40
Shielding
Shielding Design
Design VERY
VERY
Conservative
Conservative
• Attenuation by patient ignored
• Perpendicular incidence
assumed
• Shields not part of wall structure
ignored
• Tube leakage normally far below
assumed maximum allowable
value
Shielding
Shielding Design
Design VERY
VERY
Conservative
Conservative
• Field sizes often smaller than maximum
assumed value
 Scatter levels considerably less for smaller field

• Occupancy factors are conservatively


high
 100% for an individual in an office
 20% for an individual in a hallway

• Lead comes in specific thicknesses


 Ordered in next thicker size

• Distance to occupied area assumed to be


1 foot behind barrier
Notes
Notes

• Shielding designs very


conservative
• Designs must be approved by
state
• Integrity must be tested
• Adequacy must be tested
Notes
Notes

• Design only valid for given layout


and workload
• Changes to equipment style or
position or workload require new
shielding calculation

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