Ch. 9 Intro to Rad Protection Flashcards

1
Q

What is the radiographers responsibility?

A

1) To ensure the patient receives the minimal dose to create a diagnostic quality image

2) To ensure the patient is not getting unnecessary dose

3) To use radiation safety habits to protect as needed

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2
Q

What type of radiation is produced in the x-ray tube during each exposure?

A

Ionizing radiation

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3
Q

What are the two main groups of ionizing radiation?

A
  • Particulate radiation
  • Electromagnetic radiation
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4
Q

What are alpha particles and their characteristics?

A
  • Usually come from radioactive decay
  • Very heavy (large mass
  • Positive charge
  • Travel only 5 cm in air
  • Cannot penetrate skin
  • Harmless externally, but cause great biological damage internally
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5
Q

What is a free radical in the context of ionizing radiation?

A

An unstable atom created when ionizing radiation knocks out an electron

Free radicals can potentially lead to biological responses such as mutations.

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6
Q

What is the responsibility of radiographers regarding radiation safety?

A
  • Minimize patient dose
  • Prevent unnecessary extra radiation exposure
  • Use radiation safety habits
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7
Q

True or False: Ionizing radiation is always dangerous and has no benefits.

A

False

The benefits of ionizing radiation can outweigh the risks when used for disease detection.

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8
Q

Fill in the blank: Alpha particles usually come from _______.

A

[radioactive decay]

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9
Q

What are some examples of radiation safety habits?

A
  • Gonadal shielding
  • Thyroid shield
  • Lead aprons
  • Lead gloves
  • Maintaining distance
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10
Q

Particulate radiation is produced by ________ _________.

A

Atomic collisions

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11
Q

What are beta particles?

A

Beta particles are lightweight particles that come from the nuclei of radioactive material and can cause biological harm.

They are lightweight and have a low mass

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12
Q

What is electromagnetic radiation?

A

Electromagnetic radiation includes forms such as X-rays and gamma rays, both of which can cause biological harm.

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13
Q

Where do X-rays originate from?

A

X-rays are man-made and originate from an X-ray tube.

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14
Q

Where do gamma rays originate from?

A

Gamma rays come from the nuclei of radioactive material.

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15
Q

What is the difference between X-rays and gamma rays?

A

The only difference is their source; both have very short wavelengths and can cause biological harm.

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16
Q

What are the biological effects of ionizing radiation?

A

Exposure can result in the development of a disease or pathology.

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17
Q

What factors must be considered in relation to radiation exposure?

A

Factors include:
* Amount of radiation received (dose)
* Time frame of radiation dose (rate)
* Type of radiation
* Person’s age
* Tissues and organs’ radiosensitivity.

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18
Q

How does the dose of radiation relate to risk?

A

Increased dose equals increased risk of biological effect.

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19
Q

What is the impact of the rate at which radiation is received?

A

The time frame of receiving a radiation dose affects biological effects; for example, 2 gy in 1 hour vs. 2 gy over 12 weeks.

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20
Q

What is the radiosensitivity of young individuals?

A

Young individuals (1-21 years) are radiosensitive due to immature stem cells.

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21
Q

What is the radiosensitivity of older individuals?

A

Very old individuals (75+) have increased radiosensitivity due to broken down cells.

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22
Q

Which tissues and organs are more radiosensitive?

A

Tissues with faster cell reproduction and immaturity are more radiosensitive, such as:
* Skin
* Bone marrow.

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23
Q

Which organs are more radioreistant?

A

More complex organs such as the brain, spinal cord, muscles, and liver are more radioreistant.

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24
Q

Fill in the blank: The faster the cells reproduce, the more _______ they are.

A

[radiosensitive]

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25
Q

What are the classifications of biological effects of radiation?

A

1) Somatic Effects 2) Genetic Effects

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26
Q

What are somatic effects?

A

Effects on all cells in the body other than sperm and egg cells

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27
Q

What are early effects of radiation exposure?

A

Biological symptoms that occur within minutes, hours, days, or weeks of exposure

Examples include immediate radiation sickness.

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28
Q

What are late effects of radiation exposure?

A

Biological symptoms that show up months or years later

These effects can include cancer or genetic mutations.

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29
Q

What are genetic effects?

A

Effects that occur to reproductive cells as a result of radiation exposure

These can cause mutations in future offspring.

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30
Q

What is a Geiger-Mueller Counter used for?

A

To detect the presence of radiation

It is most commonly used in nuclear medicine.

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31
Q

What is a scintillation device primarily used for?

A

Mainly found in gamma cameras, nuclear medicine, and CT

It detects and measures radiation.

32
Q

What is an ionization chamber instrument also known as?

A

Cutie Pie

It is mainly used to measure radiation and test output of imaging equipment.

33
Q

What are personal monitoring devices used for?

A

To estimate the amount of radiation exposure received

They are worn between the neck and waist, facing the radiation source.

34
Q

What is an OSL dosimeter?

A

Optically Stimulated Luminescence dosimeter, common for detecting small doses of radiation

35
Q

What are film badge dosimeters known for?

A

Inexpensive, durable, and good for record keeping

They are becoming obsolete.

36
Q

What is a TLD dosimeter?

A

Thermoluminescent Dosimeter, common and accurate in low doses

It can come in ring badge form, particularly in nuclear medicine.

37
Q

What is the annual occupational effective dose limit for radiation exposure?

A

50 mSv (50 millisievert) or 5 rem

This is the maximum dose a worker can receive annually.

38
Q

When is personal monitoring device (PMD) required?

A

When workers are likely to receive 10% or more of the annual occupational effective dose

This ensures safety and compliance with radiation exposure regulations.

39
Q

What is a Pocket Dosimeter?

A

A device used for immediate radiation readouts but lacks a permanent record

40
Q

How does an Electronic Digital Dosimeter work?

A

It is similar to a jump drive and inputs data into a computer for software processing

Considered the new, expensive, and future of dosimeters

41
Q

What are the three sources of natural radiation?

A
  • Cosmic radiation
  • Terrestrial radiation
  • Internal radiation

Natural origin radiation is often referred to as ‘Background’ radiation

42
Q

Name three man-made sources of radiation.

A
  • X-rays
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Consumer products
  • Medical imaging
  • Air travel
  • Nuclear power plants
43
Q

What percentage of radiation exposure is attributed to medical imaging from Computed Tomography?

A

24%

This includes various imaging techniques in healthcare

44
Q

What percentage of radiation exposure comes from Occupational sources?

A

Less than 0.1%

45
Q

Fill in the blank: The __________ source of radiation is from radioactive material in the ground.

A

[Terrestrial]

46
Q

What is the percentage contribution of Consumer products to radiation exposure?

A

2%

This includes items like detectors, old TVs, and microwaves

47
Q

True or False: Air travel is considered a source of cosmic radiation.

A

True

48
Q

What percentage of radiation exposure is attributed to Industrial sources?

A

Less than 0.1%

49
Q

What is the contribution of Nuclear Medicine to radiation exposure?

A

12%

50
Q

Fill in the blank: __________ radiation can be ingested or inhaled.

A

[Internal]

51
Q

What does SI stand for in the context of radiation units?

A

International System of Units

The SI units are used internationally and include standard measurements for various physical quantities.

52
Q

What is the SI unit of exposure to radiation in air?

A

c/kg (Columb per kilogram)

The traditional unit is Roentgen (R)

53
Q

What is Air Kerma?

A

Kinetic energy released in matter

Air Kerma is mainly used when testing equipment.

54
Q

What is the SI unit for Absorbed Dose?

A

Gray (Gy)

The traditional unit is RAD (Radiation Absorbed Dose)

55
Q

How is 1 Gy defined in terms of energy absorption?

A

1 joule of energy absorbed into one kg of tissue

56
Q

What is Integral Dose?

A

The total amount of energy given into matter

It is calculated as the product of absorbed dose and the mass over which radiation is given.

57
Q

What is the purpose of Equivalent Dose (EqD)?

A

Absorbed dose to the patient, radiation worker, or general public with the idea of factoring in the type of radiation and the different biological effect it may have on

58
Q

What is the SI unit for Equivalent dose?

A

Sv (Sievert)

The traditional unit is REM (Radiation Equivalent Man)

59
Q

What does Effective Dose (EfD) consider?

A

The absorbed does to the patient or radiation worker with the idea of factoring in the type of radiation received and the type of tissue being radiated

60
Q

What is Activity (A) in the context of radiation?

A

The quantity of radioactivity

Activity measures how much radioactive material is present.

61
Q

What is the SI unit for Activity?

A

Becquerel (Bq)

The Traditional unit is Ci (Curie)

62
Q

Fill in the blank: The traditional unit for Absorbed Dose is _______.

A

RAD

63
Q

True or False: The Effective Dose (EfD) does not consider the type of tissue being radiated.

A

False

64
Q

Fill in the blank: The SI unit of Equivalent Dose is _______.

A

Sv

65
Q

What are the two types of weighting factors used in radiation measurements?

A
  • Wr (radiation weighing factor)
  • Wt (tissue weighing factor)
66
Q

What is the primary conclusion regarding x-ray exposure?

A

The diagnostic benefit outweighs the minimal risk resulting from x-ray exposure

67
Q

Define ionizing radiation.

A

Any form of radiation that possesses energy capable of displacing atomic electron bonds and breaking the electron bonds that hold the molecules of matter together

68
Q

What is the significance of understanding proper radiation protection practices?

A

To mitigate potential biological damage from the ionization process

Awareness of radiation risks is essential for safety.

69
Q

List the two sources of ionizing radiation.

A
  • Natural background radiation
  • Man-made radiation

Understanding these sources helps in managing exposure.

70
Q

What percentage of natural background radiation comes from Thoron and Radon?

A

37%

This is a significant portion of natural radiation exposure.

71
Q

What are the components of man-made radiation exposure percentages?

A
  • 24% = CT
  • 12% = nuclear medicine
  • 7% = interventional fluoroscopy
  • 5% = conventional radiography
  • 2% = consumer
  • <0.1%= occupational

These figures illustrate the various contributions to man-made radiation exposure.

72
Q

Differentiate between somatic and genetic biological effects of radiation.

A
  • Somatic: Occurring to the individual exposed
  • Genetic: Occurring in the descendants

Understanding these effects is crucial for evaluating risks.

73
Q

What is the radiographer’s responsibility regarding radiation dose?

A

Ensure each patient receives the minimal dose of radiation necessary to produce a diagnostic image

This emphasizes patient safety in imaging procedures.

74
Q

What are the SI units of measurement for exposure and dose in radiation?

A
  • Exposure: C/kg
  • Absorbed dose: Gy
  • Equivalent dose: Sv
75
Q

What are some measurement devices used in radiation protection?

A
  • Geiger-Mueller counter
  • Scintillation device
  • Ionization chamber instrument
76
Q

Name the personal monitoring devices (PMDs) used for radiation exposure.

A
  • OSL
  • Film badge
  • TLD
  • Pocket dosimeters