Repeat Radiographs and Pediatric Radiography

Grids

Accessory in radiography that absorbs scatter radiation and improves the contrast and detail of radiograph

30 %

Amount by which the risks from medical uses of man-made ionizing radiation can be eliminated without compromising the benefits

over 90%

Amount of the average population exposure to man-made ionizing radiation that comes from medical uses

Genetic effects

Are cumulative making it necessary to protect a child's gonads from radiation to prevent deleterious effects in their offspring

Cells of children

Are more sensitive to radiation that those of adults because they have a higher rate of mitotic activity

Students

Are prohibited from holding a patient during a radiographic examination

Pinpointing a medical problem

Benefit of exposure to man-made ionizing radiation from medical usage

Small increases in field size from the area of interest

Can dramatically increase the total exposure of child.

Omission of grids

Can significantly decrease patient exposure when exposing infants

Error in exposure factors

Cause of repeat radiographs in adults when using screen/film: 1 Causes over or under exposure

Patient (part) positioning

Cause of repeat radiographs in adults when using screen/film: 2

Law of bergonie and tribondeau

Cells that are rapidly dividing or have a potential for rapid division, are more sensitive than those which do not rapidly divide

Father

Commonly preferred family member to participate in patient holding during pediatric radiography

Processing chemicals

Cost is reduced when repeat rates are kept low in automatic processing

Non-routine

Describes patient holding in pediatric radiation

Not necessary

Describes the use of grids when exposing infants due to the small volume being irradiated

Radiation doses to children

Doses in radiography that must be kept to a minimum

Collimation

Is an extremely important technical consideration in children

Patient exposure

Is decreased when repeat rates are low.

Patient exposure

Is doubled giving the patient unnecessary exposure when a repeat radiograph is performed

Productivity

Is increased when repeat rates are kept low because patient time in the exam room is decreased

Wear and tear of x-ray tube

Is reduced when repeat rates are kept low because the tube is active less often

Artifacts

Items not part of the body that show up on a radiograph and interrupt the study causing a repeat radiograph

Patient holding

May be necessary to reduce motion of a child in pediatric radiography but is highly discouraged and should only be used in emergencies after all other resources have failed

0.5 mm of lead(pb) equivalent

Minimum amount of material that must be used for gonadal shielding in pediatric radiography

Motion

Most common cause of repeat radiographs in children and accounts for more repeat radiographs than adults

Technical factors

Must be increased when using a grid because the grid also absorbs some of the primary radiation. this increases exposure to the patient.

Personnel and parental protection

Must be used when personnel or a parent must physically restrain a child during radiation exposure

Leaded gloves and aprons

Must be warn by anyone who holds a patient during a pediatric radiography procedure because the scatter radiation from theses exams is very low

Incorrect positioning

Only cause of repeat radiographs in adults when using computerized or direct radiography

Benefits

Outweigh the risks of receiving man made ionizing radiation from medical usage

Less

Radiation doses in pediatric radiography compared to doses given to adults

Family members

Should be shielded and used for patient holding when it is necessary

Low ratio grids

Should be used when grids are necessary for larger infants and children

Clothing, bandages, and diapers

Some of the things on children that must be removed from the area of examination because they will cause artifacts

Improvements, accessories, and radiation safety precautions

Some of the things that can be used to eliminate risks from medical usage of man-made ionizing radiation

communication, cooperation, short exposure times, immobilization, and sedation

Some of things that can be used to reduce motion in pediatric radiography

Area of interest

Thing that collimation should be based off of in pediatric radiography rather than the size of the image receptor

Whenever it does not interfere with the exam

Time when gonadal shielding must be used in pediatric radiography

Radiographers responsibility

To protect the patient, as well as themselves from excessive radiation

Relatively low

Type of radiation for patient doses in diagnostic studies

Gonadal shielding

Type of shielding that must be used in pediatric radiography

Biological and genetic

Types of risks of exposure to man-made ionizing radiation from medical usage

Patient positioning, selection of technical factors, use of collimation, and patient instructions

Variables that determine the quality of a radiograph.

Scatter radiation

Weaker energy and higher LET radiation that is absorbed by the body and causes damage. This is why patient holding is not recommended

Repeat radiograph

Will result from a poor radiograph resulting from poor use of the variables of producing a high quality radiograph