NEED HELP/INFO ON PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT MUSTS IN THE OR

mvnandshkn · Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 1

Hello,

I'm in the OR on a daily basis exposed to the fluoro sometimes up to 3:00 - 5:00 minutes during a procedure if not longer. Is it recommended that I wear lead protection? i.e. apron. I've heard that if you are at least 6 feet away then you are safe.

Second question, What is the intensity of Scattered Radiation and effects on body with or without lead on?

Last question, does anyone know about the correlation between fluoro/scattered radiation and cataracts? Has it been proved? Is wearing lead protective glasses recommend or a must?

Thank you

wvaio · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 85

Scatter can travel further than 6 feet. I have heard in excess of 12 feet. I have a perfect example.In the hospital that I work, if you place your overhead cassettes on the stand that scans the digital cassettes, when you run the cassettes, there will always be an artifact. The artifact is from a metal bar that runs along the side of the holder. It blocks all scatter in that area and leaves a nasty artifact. This reader is right next to the control panel. I would say this distance is at least 9 foot from the fluoro tower.

The three principle rules of exposure are of course: TIME, DISTANCE, and SHIELDING!

Time is hard to control, but distance is your friend. Take the time to unroll the pedal, if it has one. I find myself leaning on the machine a lot and using the button on top. I could probably save some cells, if I used the pedal or the extension remote. If you are using the OEC models, you know what I mean.

Shielding is essential. Search if you have to, to find a full apron that covers front and back and a thyroid collar. If there are none available, maybe you should request that they obtain one, or consider buying your own. I know several tech's that have purchased their own lead. Consider it as an investment. If you take good care of it, it's something that will last forever. Another good idea is to hang a spare apron on the back of the machine, on the handle for instance. Lead absorbs a lot of scatter!

As for cataracts (***grabs radiation protection book***), according to Bushong's "radiographic sciences for technologist":

...The threshold after fractional exposure, such as we receive in radiology, is probably in excess of 1000rad(10 Gy). Occupational exposures to the lens of the eye are too low to require protective lens shields for radiologic technologist. It is nearly impossible for a medical radiation worker to reach the threshold dose" .

Cataracts have a threshold dose. You must exceed this dose to have any effect.

Lastly, wear your TLD or OSD, whichever the case, outside of your apron at thyroid level. If you are receiving too high of a monthly dose, they will tell you.
_________________
“Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.” --- Henry Ford