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