RPMR - Chapter 1: Introduction to Radiation Protection
optimization for radiation protection (ORP).
ALARA is an acronym for "as low as reasonably achievable." This term is synonymous with the term--------- ]
milligray (mGy)
Absorbed dose is measured in-------------, a subunit of the gray (Gy) in the SI
Risk
(in general terms) -The probability of injury, ailment, or death resulting from an activity ]
Risk
(in medical term) is the possibility of inducing adverse biologic effects such as injury to the skin or induction of cancer or a genetic defect after irradiation. (in medical term) ]
Creation of unstable atoms, production of free electrons, production of low-energy x-ray photons, creation of reactive free radicals capable of producing substances poisonous to the cell, creation of new biologic molecules detrimental to the living cell, injury to the cell that may manifest itself as abnormal function or loss of function. (box 1-1 on page 2)
General Discussion Questions 1. What are the consequences of ionization in the human cell?
Risk is defined in reference to the radiation sciences as the possibility of inducing radiogenic cancer or genetic defect.
General Discussion Questions 10. In the medical industry with reference to the radiation sciences, how is risk defined?
When it doesn't benefit the patient- examples: lack of collimation, wrong exam, repeats.When it doesn't enhance the quality of the study
General Discussion Questions 2. When is medical radiation exposure considered unnecessary?
The BERT method compares the amount of radiation received by the patient with natural background radiation received over a specific period of time. BERT helps emphasize that radiation is an innate part of our environment and it is easy for patients to understand.
General Discussion Questions 3. How can the background equivalent radiation time (BERT) method be used to eliminate a patient's fears about medical radiation exposure?
Radiographers should use the least amount of time as possible, stand back as far as you can, use correct SID for patients, and shield yourself and patients for all exams (if possible).
General Discussion Questions 4. Describe how radiographers can use the ALARA concept in the performance of their daily responsibilities.
All exams need to be dictated into every radiologic report. This will help the physician know if additional radiologic procedures are advisable with having the patient radiation dose history in hand. (page 11) Also there will be only a certain amount of exposure a given exam should produce, protecting the patient from over exposure
General Discussion Questions 5. Why is a team approach of significant value in patient care?
Our main goal as radiographers is to provide the patient with an acceptable diagnostic image using the lowest amount of radiation possible. Therefore, the ALARA philosophy is helpful in achieving this goal and holding radiographers responsible for the patient's safety.
General Discussion Questions 7. Why should the ALARA philosophy be maintained as a main part of every health care facility's radiation safety program?
The patient needs to understand that the benefit of having an x-ray to diagnose pathology is greater than the risk of the negative aspects of an x-ray. When a patient understands the technology and the great lengths a radiographer goes to protect them from unnecessary radiation, the patient may be more willing to proceed with the x-ray procedure.
General Discussion Questions 8. When are patients more likely to suppress any radiation phobia and be willing to assume a small chance of possible biologic damage?
BERT is based on an annual US population exposure of 3 millisieverts per year. It is used to compare x-ray procedures to comparable natural background radiation examples to the patient.
General Discussion Questions 9. On what premise is BERT based?
1. BERT is based on an annual US population exposure of approximately 3 millisieverts per year. Using the BERT method in this context has the following advantages: 2. BERT does not imply radiation risk; it is simply a means for comparison. 3. BERT emphasizes that radiation is an innate part of our environment. 4. BERT provides an answer that is easy for the patient to comprehend.
Gives at least 4 facts of background equivalent radiation time (BERT) method.
Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging
Its first goal is to raise awareness among nonradiology users (e.g., emergency room physicians, referring physicians, orthopedists, neurosurgeons, etc.) of potentially high radiation exposure from computed tomography.
D. 1, 2, and 3
Review Questions 1. A patient may elect to assume a relatively small statistical risk of exposure to ionizing radiation to obtain essential diagnostic medical information when: 1. Illness occurs 2. Injury occurs 3. A specific imaging procedure for health screening purposes is prudent A. 1 and 2 only B. 1 and 3 only C. 2 and 3 only D. 1, 2, and 3
B. Higher effective dose than would an adult, but the image produced will be of acceptable quality
Review Questions 10. If a child receives a dose of radiation in a CT scan where adult protocols are used, the child, because of being smaller in size, will receive a: A. Lethal dose of radiation B. Higher effective dose than would an adult, but the image produced will be of acceptable quality C. Lower effective dose than would an adult, and the image produced will be of acceptable quality D. Severe radiation burns
C. Radiation protection
Review Questions 2. Effective measures employed by radiation workers to safeguard patients, personnel, and the general public from unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation defines: A. Diagnostic efficacy B. Optimization C. Radiation protection D. Reference values
B. BERT
Review Questions 3. Which of the following is a method that can be used to answer patients' questions about the amount of radiation received from a radiographic procedure? A. ALARA concept B. BERT C. BRET D. EPA
A. As low as reasonably achievable (ALARA)
Review Questions 4. The term optimization for radiation protection (ORP) is synonymous with the term: A. As low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) B. Background equivalent radiation time (BERT) C. Effective dose (EfD) D. Diagnostic efficacy (DE)
C. A reduction in patient radiation dose
Review Questions 5. Monitoring and reporting of patient dose for computed tomography and interventional procedures can lead to: A. An invasion of patient privacy B. An increase in patient radiation dose C. A reduction in patient radiation dose D. Elimination of the need for imaging equipment radiation safety features
D. Exposure
Review Questions 6. The amount of ionization produced in the air when ionizing radiation is present is known as: A. Absorbed dose B. Effective dose C. Efficacy D. Exposure
D. Diagnostic efficacy
Review Questions 7. The degree to which the diagnostic study accurately reveals the presence or absence of disease in the patient while adhering to radiation safety guidelines defines which of the following terms? A. Radiation protection B. Radiographic pathology C. Effective diagnosis D. Diagnostic efficacy
C. 1/1000 of a sievert
Review Questions 8. The millisievert (mSv) is equal to: A. 1/10 of a sievert B. 1/100 of a sievert C. 1/1000 of a sievert D. 1/10,000 of a sievert
A. 1 and 2 only
Review Questions 9. An effective radiation safety program requires a firm commitment to radiation safety by: 1. Facilities providing imaging services 2. Radiation workers 3. Patients A. 1 and 2 only B. 1 and 3 only C. 2 and 3 only D. 1, 2, and 3
False. BERT does not imply radiation risk; it is simply a means for comparison.
T/F BERT does imply for radiation risk.
True
T/F BERT is not a radiation quantity. It is a method of explaining radiation to the public.
True
T/F Most patients are unaware that most of their background radiation comes from natural radioactivity in their own body.
True
T/F The goal of modern radiation protection programs is twofold: to protect persons from both short-term and long-term effects of radiation.
True
T/F The radiographer can then respond by using an estimation based on the comparison of radiation received from the x-ray to natural background radiation received, for example, over a certain number of days. Thus the radiographer can say, "The radiation received from having a chest x-ray is equivalent to what would be received while spending approximately 10 days in your natural surroundings"
True
T/F The realized benefits of this exposure to radiant energy far outweigh any slight chance of inducing a radiogenic malignancy or any genetic defects.
True
T/F X-rays can have varying degrees of penetration in normal tissue, ranging from very superficial (skin surface) to much deeper (5 cm or greater) depending on their energy.
True
T/F dose goes with you in your lifetime, you can't get away from it.
Image Wisely Campaign
The Joint Task Force collaborated with the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) to create the ------------ with the objectives of lowering the amount of radiation used in medically necessary imaging studies and eliminating unnecessary procedures.
Image Gently Campaign.
The campaign includes dissemination of information on pediatric CT dose reduction among the various medical specialties that refer patients for computed tomography examinations or even operate their own CT scanners.
biologic effects.
The need to safeguard against unnecessary radiation exposure is based on strong evidence that living tissue of animals and humans can be damaged by exposure to ionizing radiation. This type of damage is referred to as adverse -----------
radiation
The transfer of kinetic energy, or energy of motion, from one location to another that is called
1895
The use of radiation within the healing arts did not occur until after the discovery of an energetic form of radiation called x-rays in year of?
radiologic technologists radiologist assistants medical physicists
This support group consists of ---------, -----------, and ----------.
reference values
Various groups have compiled -------------- for patient dose. These values are usually based upon large-scale surveys of actual measurements of x-ray machines in hospitals. The Nationwide Evaluation of X-ray Trends (NEXT) project
• Creation of unstable atoms • Production of free electrons • Production of low-energy x-ray photons • Creation of reactive free radicals capable of producing substances poisonous to the cell • Creation of new biologic molecules detrimental to the living cell • Injury to the cell that may manifest itself as abnormal function or loss of function
What are the Consequences of Ionization in Human Cells? ]
•Unnecessary radiation
What are these means? -Any radiation exposure that does not benefit a person in terms of diagnostic information obtained for the clinical management of medical needs -Any radiation exposure that does not enhance the quality of the study ]
fluorescence
When passing through matter, x-rays will produce charged particles by interaction with atoms composing that matter, as well as cause an emission of light known as-------- in certain crystals.
alert levels
When patient dose is predicted to or has actually substantially exceeded present dose levels, the staff radiologist is notified.
electrically
X-rays are not deflected from their paths by either electric or magnetic fields and so are classified as ------- neutral.
straight
X-rays travel in (curve or straight) lines and at the speed of light (300 million meters per second) until they interact with atoms.
background equivalent radiation time (BERT)
another way that radiographers can improve understanding and reduce fear and anxiety for the patient is to use the --------------- method.
Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging
becomes partnership of medical societies whose overall common purpose is to reduce the radiation dose for pediatric patients.
Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)
individual called the----------- is expressly charged by the hospital administration with being directly responsible for the execution, enforcement, and maintenance of the ALARA program.
Tools for Radiation Awareness and Community Education program (TRACE)
is a radiation dose awareness and dose reduction program for patients through the process of education for these individuals, for the community, for health care workers employed in the medical imaging profession, and for physicians.
dose
is also employed in everyday speech, as in "We all receive a dose of radiation from sources in the environment."
effective dose (EfD
is an attempt to provide a quantity that is a measure of general harm in humans.
coulomb per kilogram (C/kg)
is measured in ---------- in the metric International System of Units (SI), or in milliroentgens (mR), a subunit of the roentgen, a nonmetric unit likewise used for measuring the ionizing capability of radiation.
absorbed dose
is the amount of energy that is deposited in a material per unit mass of the material.
Exposure
is the amount of ionization produced in air when ionizing radiation is present.
Radiation protection
may be defined simply as effective measures employed by radiation workers to safeguard patients, personnel, and the general public from unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation.
background equivalent radiation time (BERT)
method compares the amount of radiation received, for example, from a patient's chest x-ray examination or from radiography of any other part of the anatomy, with natural background radiation received over a specified period such as days, weeks, months, or years
background equivalent radiation time (BERT)
method is also recommended by the US National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)
background equivalent radiation time (BERT)
•A method that can be used to improve understanding and reduce fear and anxiety for the patient ]
Diagnostic Efficacy
•Provides the basis for determining whether an imaging procedure or practice is justified ]
Diagnostic Efficacy
•The degree to which the diagnostic study accurately reveals the presence or absence of disease in the patient ]
-Time -Distance -Shielding
•The three basic principles of radiation protection ]
background equivalent radiation time (BERT)
•emphasizes that radiation is an innate part of our environment.
Ionizing radiation
•is radiation that produces positively and negatively charged particles (ions) when passing through matter. ]