Lead apron reduces scatter radiation portable#

Lead apron reduces scatter radiation portable#

Radiation received from portable chest X-rays is considered to be low dose, but without proper shielding, hospital workers should be concerned about accumulative doses, which could lead to severe effects over the long term. On the other hand, the advantage of portable X-rays comes at the cost of increased radiation exposure to hospital staff because radiation protective systems are not equivalent to those in radiology departments. For observing and isolating patients in infection-controlled areas, portable X-rays play an important role in both diagnosis and follow-up by avoiding unnecessary transportation of infected patients, thereby reducing the possibility of spreading infection. Thus, the widely available usage of chest X-rays in most healthcare institutes may be a cost-effective option for quick diagnosis. Moreover, performing CT scans may raise radiation exposure concerns, and decontaminating the CT scanner/equipment following use by COVID-19 patients is time consuming. However, the challenges of using CT during a global pandemic has raised concerns in many lower- to middle-income countries due to its high cost, the requirement for specialist expertise, and scanner availability. Many studies have suggested the use of chest computed tomography (CT) due to its high sensitivity and specificity, especially in asymptomatic patients at an early stage. However, RT-PCR has limitations of long testing times, need for specific medical staff, and high costs, making it difficult to support the millions at risk. The reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the WHO, and is considered as the gold standard method for COVID-19 screening. Therefore, screening and diagnostic test protocols for COVID-19 are still required. Meanwhile, the virus continues to evolve through one or more mutations, which leads to the possibility of ineffectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, safe and effective vaccines for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic have been approved and made available by the WHO, including those developed by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinopharm, which have helped decrease the number of infected patients, severity of symptoms, and rate of mortality. The WHO also declared COVID-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern requiring international cooperation and enforcement of a quarantine policy. COVID-19 has since become a globally recognized pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) the disease presents as a severe acute respiratory syndrome and causes death. In December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China, and spread rapidly through human-to-human transmission. This would allow for an alternative way of performing portable chest radiography for COVID-19 patients without requiring lead shielding.

Without lead shielding, RTs must stay at a distance greater than 200 cm from patients for both vertical and horizontal beams to minimize scatter exposure. Correlation analysis between the dosimeter measurement and calculated inverse square law showed good correlation, with an R 2 value of 0.99. Scatter radiation doses of all 40 tests showed a highest and lowest value of 1285.5 nGy at 100 cm in the anteroposterior (AP) semi upright position and 134.7 nGy at 200 cm in the prone position, respectively. Additionally, the doses were compared using the paired t test ( p < 0.005) to determine suitable positions for workers who did not wear lead protection that adhered to radiation safety requirements. The tests were conducted with and without lead shielding. Radiation measurements were performed using the PBU-60 whole body phantom to determine scatter radiation doses at 100–200 cm and eight different angles around the phantom.

This study aimed to investigate scatter radiation doses received at various distances, directions, and positions. However, during the pandemic, the use of a lead shield caused a heavy weight burden on workers who were responsible for a large number of patients. Normally, when performing a portable X-ray, radiation protection equipment is critical as it reduces the scatter radiation dose to hospital workers. Radiological technologists (RTs) are often required to perform portable chest X-ray radiography on these patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a large increase in the number of patients admitted to hospitals.