Guidance Flashcards
What guidance doc is there? Who is it by and when?
Guidance notes for DP’s ont he safe use of x-ray equipment. 2nd edition
- by public health England and faculty of dental practice UK
- 2020
What is IRR17?
Ionising radiation regulations 2017
What is IRMER17?
Ionising radiation (medical exposures) regulations 2017
What is an RPA?
Radiation protection advisor
- individual competent to advise on radiation protection
- usually a medical physicist
Target % for digital radiography to be grade A?
Not less than 95%
QA tests done for digital receptors?
- Visual condition of receptor itself
- Image uniformity
- expose receptor to unattenuated x ray beam and check resulting image - Image quality
- test object and assess resulting image
What test should be carried out every 1-3 months on the computer?
Check the quality of the monitor display with a suitable test pattern
What must be done with regards to X-ray signage?
Warning signs must be visible at every entrance to controlled area
Notices or lights and should include the ionising radiation symbol
Need to be covered or removed when equipment not in use
What is a contingency plan?
Immediate actions to be undertaken in the evening of a reasonably foreseeable radiation accident
- e.g. panoramic machine not rotating but exposing patient
- click emergency stop button
- this then investigated with the radiation protection officer to reduce risk of recurrence
2 ways to monitor dose?
Monitor staff who enter controlled areas
- RPA advise when this is necessary e.g. pregnant worker or changes to workload etc
- personal dose should not exceed 1mSv/year
Monitor controlled areas and potential controlled areas
- to check if areas need to remain designated as controlled
What are the basic principles of the ICRP?
ICRP is - international commission for radiological protection
Doses should be:
- justified
- optimised
- limited
J = more good than harm
O = exposure must be ALARP
L = no one receives unacceptable level of exposure
What does IRR17 deal with simply?
What about IRMER17?
IRR17 - occupational exposures and exposure of general public
IRMER17 - deals with medical exposures of patients
What things do IRR ensure?
- Dentists must be HSE registered for use of radiation generator
- ensures employers must consult an RPA on certain matters
- radiation risk assessment, exposures must be ALARP
- controlled area set up
- signage regarding controlled area
- training of staff who will operate within and around a controlled area
- specifies annual radiation dose limits, 6msv/Y for radiation workers and 1mSv/y for member of public
What does IMRER set out to do?
Info given to patients about benefits and risks of exposure
- usually a poster suffices
Sets out roles within medical exposures
- referrer, practitioner, operator and employer
Sets out framework
- referral by referrer
- justified by practitioner
- authorised and carried out by operator
- image assessed and reported by operator
- image and report to referrer
Ensure staff carrying out any role are
- trained
- and there is training records of this
Erasure all doses are optimised
- practitioner and operator
- collimation, correct equipment / exposures
Who is the referrer?
Registered HCP
- provide sufficient medical data to practitioner to enable justification
- employer must provide referral criteria
Give a summary of IRR and IRMER
