Safety Question

RadStudent12 · Joined: 12 Oct 2009 Posts: 1

I've recently been accepted to a community college based radiology program. Part of the acceptance to this program was doing a 6 hr observation at a local hospital. During this observation I went on a couple of portable exams. Now that I am a student, I realize the tech did things that my professors would frown upon. My question is this, when I went on the portables with the tech he, not I, wore any lead aprons, as we are taught to wear in class. This observation was months ago and I can't remember if he, the tech, even instructed me to leave the room. Was I exposed to radiation, either in the room, or just outside, without wearing a lead apron? I am a young female and have become paranoid that my gonadal area wasn't shielded when this occured. Is it only the patient who needs to be shielded? Should I be concerned that I wasn't or am I being over paranoid?

hjhogle · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:33 pm Post subject:

Overly paranoid.

The RT was wearing lead - appropriate, as he/she was standing much closer to the source of the radiation than you were - unless you were standing next to the patient or holding on to the portable equpment itself? You didn't say, so I can't be certain.

Surely you don't believe that hundreds of thousands of female Radiographers (of child-bearing age) would perform portable exams every day if the potential were as dangerous as you seem to think.

I'm not suggesting that radiation protection is not needed. I am suggesting that you pay close attention to standard radiation protection (it's quite likely I would not have given you an apron, either. I would have simply stood in front of you). If you haven't learned about that yet - you will.

TIME/DISTANCE/SHIELDING.

hjh, RT