Radiation Protection Chapter 1 Part 1 Flashcards
What is radiation produced from the x-ray tube?
Controlled radiant energy
What are effective measures employed by radiation workers to safeguard patients, personnel, and the general public from unnecessary exposures to ionizing radiation?
radiation protection
Any radiation exposure that does not benefit a person in terms of diagnostic information obtained for the clinical management of medical needs or any radiation exposure that does not enhance the quality of study
unnecessary exposure
What is damage to living tissue of animals and humans exposed to radiation?
biologic effects
What is the degree to which the diagnostic study accurately reveals the presence or absence of disease in the patient?
Diagnostic efficacy
What is the dose level below which individuals would have no chance of developing this disease?
Threshold
What’s the possibility of inducing a radiogenic cancer or genetic defect after irradiation?
Risk
What is a way radiographer can improve understanding and reduce fear and anxiety for the patient?
Background Equivalent Radiation Time– BERT
When did radiation become apparent?
November 8th 1895— 1890s
What are x-rays a form of?
ionizing radiation charged
What happens to ionizing radiation when it passes through matter?
Ionizing radiation produces positively and negatively charged particles(ions)
What is thought to cause injury to normal tissue?
production of these ions
Radiation exposure should always be kept at
The lowest possible level for the general public
What referring physicians must accept and carry responsibility for when ordering a radiographic procedure on a patient?
Efficacy–if it is a medical necessity for the patients. Relying on qualified imaging personnel.
How do healthcare professionals accept a portion of the responsibility for patient welfare?
providing high quality imaging services
How is keeping occupational and nonoccupational dose below maximum allowable levels best accomplished?
Using the smallest radiation exposure that will produce useful image and by producing optimal images with first exposure.
ALARA is an acronym meaning?
As low as reasonably achievable
ALARA is synonymous with what other term?
ORP–Optimization for radiation protection
What is the intention of ALARA?
To keep radiation exposure and consequent dose to lowest possible level
ALARA should be established and maintained to show what?
That we have considered reasonable actions that will reduce patient and personnel dose below required limits.
What are safe dose levels for radiation-induced malignancy?
No safe dose levels exist.
What dose the ALARA method compare and know the example?
The amount of radiation that various health care facilities in a particular area use for specific imaging procedures. EX. If patients in a location are receiving the same entrance skin exposure for a specific procedure in EVERY healthcare facility in that area the ESE would represent the radiation exposure and consequent dose that is reasonably achieved within that location
Who has the responsibility for radiation safety?
employers of radiation workers and the workers themselves
Know the 3 basic principles of radiation protection:
Time
Distance
Shielding
Know the 3 ways we talked about reducing exposure to the patient
- Reduce amount of x-ray “beam-on” time
- use as much distance between tube and patient as possible for specific exam
- always shield patient when appropriate
How do you reduce occupational exposure to the technologist?
- shortening the length of time spent in a room where radiation is produced
- stand at the greatest distance possible from the beam
- throw in a radiation absorbent shielding material between the radiographer and the source of radiation
When are the patients more willing to accept the radiation risk?
If they perceive that the potential benefit to be obtained is greater than the risk involved
What has greatly reduced the risk from imaging procedures for patients and radiographers?
The understanding of radiation biologic effects gained throughout the 20th century captured with better design of medical imaging equipment and improved radiation safety standards
What is BERT based on?
An annual US population exposure of approximately 3 millisevarts per year
What are the advantages of BERT:
- BERT dose not imply radiation risk-simply a means for comparison
- BERT emphasizes that radiation is animate part of our environment
- The answer given in terms of BERT is easy for the patient to comprehend
Know what TRACE stands for:
Tools for Radiation Awareness and Community Education
What is TRACE?
Program that formulates new policies and procedures to promote radiation safety and the implementation of patient and community education and provides technologic enhancements.
Know the components of the TRACE program
Technologic enhancement such as embedded software capable of recording and reporting dose, timely notifications of the patient and referring physician when the radiation dose is greater than 3gym and substantial lowering of CT doses through improved technology and altering existing protocols
