RTINTRO9 - Imaging Accessories & Protective Shields PDF

INTRODUCTION TO RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE RAMY M. YALUNG, RRT Self-directed ready  THE ANGELITE PRAYER Almighty God, we glorify you for giving us the Angelite Charism. We thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, Truth and Life. We b...

INTRODUCTION TO RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE RAMY M. YALUNG, RRT Self-directed ready  THE ANGELITE PRAYER Almighty God, we glorify you for giving us the Angelite Charism. We thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, Truth and Life. We bless you for the continuous guidance of the Holy Spirit. Grant us, we pray, COURAGE and STRENGTH that we may give perpetual praise to you in whatever we do. We ask this through CHRIST, our Lord. Amen Oh Holy Guardian Angels, Guide us and Protect us! Laus Deo Semper! IMAGING ACCESSORIES AND PROTECTIVE SHIELDS  Imaging Accessories IMAGING ACCESSORIES Caliper  The tool for body part measurement.  Main shaft of the caliper is a flat strip of metal, calibrated in both inches and centimeters.  There are two perpendicular extensions from the shaft: One is permanently affixed to one end of the shaft and the other slides up and down the shaft. These two extensions form “jaws” between which the body part is measured. IMAGING ACCESSORIES Caliper  When a body part is measured, the fixed jaw of the caliper is placed under or against the part and the movable jaw is brought snugly and firmly against the patient on the opposite side.  You must take care that the jaws of the caliper remain parallel to each other.  Remember: A measuring caliper should be used to ascertain part thickness for accurate technique selection! IMAGING ACCESSORIES Intensifying Screen  A sheet of plastic that is embedded with crystals called phosphors.  When struck by radiation, phosphors glow with visible light.  This light from the phosphors exposes the x- ray film, which is sandwiched between intensifying screens in the lid and the base of the cassette.  Approximately 95% of the image on the film is made by light from the intensifying screens; only 5% of the image is made directly by the x-rays. IMAGING ACCESSORIES Cassette  A rigid, light-tight container that holds the screens and film in close contact. Portable Digital Radiography Image Receptor IMAGING ACCESSORIES X-ray Film  A sheet of polyester plastic coated with a thin layer of gelatin and silver compounds.  The image contained in the film is made visible by developing the film; the finished radiograph then becomes a permanent record of the examination and is considered a legal document.  The intensifying screens absorb the transmitted x-rays and produce light, which exposes the film.  Film manufactures produce film in a variety of sizes, ranging from 20 x 25 cm (8 x 10 inches) to 35 x 43 cm (14 x 17 inches). Parts of an X-ray film  IMAGING ACCESSORIES PARTS OF AN X-RAY FILM Construction  Supercoating  Emulsion  Adhesive Layer  BASE  IMAGING ACCESSORIES PARTS OF AN X-RAY FILM  Supercoating/Anti-Abrasive Layer Layer of hard, protective gelatin designed to protect the emulsion against mechanical damage that can arise from handling and transport within manual and automatic film loaders and processors.  Prevent glare when finished radiograph is viewed.  2 – 5 um thick  IMAGING ACCESSORIES PARTS OF AN X-RAY FILM  Emulsion 5 – 10 um (0.0002” – 0.0004”) thick  “Heart” of the x-ray film  Binder: GELATIN  Gives permanence to the emulsion.  Extracted from Collagen  Chemically considered as Colloid  Recording medium: SILVER HALIDE CRYSTALS  Active ingredient of the emulsion.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES PARTS OF AN X-RAY FILM  Adhesive Layer (Substratum coating)  Designed to glue the emulsion to the base.  Prevents bubble or other distortion when the film is bent during processing or handling, or when is wet or heated during development.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES PARTS OF AN X-RAY FILM  Film Base: Thin layer of polyester (polyethylene terephthalate), which transmits light and provides a support for the layers.  Foundation of the radiographic film.  It primary purpose is to provide a rigid structure onto which the emulsion can be coated.  Flexible and fracture-resistant to allow easy handling but rigid enough to be snapped into a viewbox.  Approximately 150 to 300 micrometer thick and it is made of semi-rigid, lucent polyester.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES History of Radiographic Film Base  Glass plate  The original film base used during World War I.  Severely limited  Cellulose Nitrate (1914)  Substitute material for glass plate  Disadvantage: Flammable  Improper storage and handling of some x-ray film files resulted in severe hospital fires during the 1920s and early 1930s.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Cellulose Triacetate (1924)  Replaced cellulose nitrate in mid-1920s film with “safety base.”  Less flammable  Polyester (1960)  Introduced as film base.  More resistant to warping with age  Stronger than cellulose triacetate, permitting easier transport through automatic processors.  Its dimensional stability is superior.  Made up of ETHYLENE GLYCOL & DIMETHYL TEREPHTALATE  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Blue dye is added  to enhance contrast  to reduce glare/eye strain The base of radiographic film maintains its size and shape during use and processing so that it does not contribute to image distortion.  This property of the base is known as dimensional stability.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Positioning Sponges and Sandbags  Commonly used as immobilization devices.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Pigg-O-Stat  Commonly used as a pediatric immobilizer.  Excellent for holding a child safely in an upright position.  Useful for imaging procedures of the chest or upright abdominal exams.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Film Hangers  Used during film processing to position and hold/suspend the film, eliminate streaking and maintain tension and alignment.  Manual processing  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Lead Markers  Usually made of lead and placed directly on the image receptor.  The marker is seen on the image along with the bodily part.  Every radiograph must contain a correct marker that clearly identifies the patient’s right (R) or left (L) side.  IMAGING ACCESSORIES Negatoscope or View box  A device made of lights placed behind a translucent screen.  Used to provide backlighting for a radiographic image.  It helps clinicians see the brightness, contrast, and details of an image.  Also known as an illuminator protective shields  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Protective Shields  Lead goggles/glasses  Lead Gloves  Thyroid Shields  Gonadal Shields  Lead Apron  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Lead Apron  Reduces exposure of a patient to x-rays to vital organs that are potentially exposed to ionizing radiation during medical imaging procedures.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Lead Gloves  If the radiographer's hands will be near the x-ray beam, protective lead aprons and leaded gloves should be used whenever the radiographer cannot remain behind a protective barrier during an exposure.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Lead Goggles/Eye glasses  Scatter radiation to the lens of the eyes of diagnostic imaging personnel can be substantially reduced by the use of protective eyeglasses.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Thyroid Shields  Can guard the thyroid area of occupationally exposed people during:  General fluoroscopy  X-ray special procedures  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Gonadal Shields  Shielding of the gonads (ovaries and testes) is especially important.  Minimize the possibility of any genetic effect on the future children of an exposed individual.  Four types of gonadal shields: Flat contact shields, Shaped contact shields, Shadow shields, and Clear Lead Shields  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Gonadal Shields  Used on patients during diagnostic x-ray procedures to protect the reproductive organs from exposure to the useful beam when these organs are in or within approximately 5 cm of a properly collimated beam.  Gonadal shielding is used unless it will compromise the diagnostic value of the examination.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Flat contact shields  Made of various sizes or lead-impregnated vinyl  Placed between the patient’s gonads and the source of radiation.  May need to be secured in place to ensure correct placement for a variety of patient positions.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Flat contact shields  These shields are most effective when they are used as protective devices for patients having anteroposterior (AP) or posteroanterior (PA) radiographs while in a recumbent position.  If the flat contact shield is used during a typical fluoroscopic examination, it must be placed under the patient to be effective because the x-ray tube is located under the radiographic table.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Shaped contact shields  Cup-shaped  Designed to enclose the MALE gonads.  These shields provide maximum protection in a number of patient positions.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Shadow shields  Mounted to the tube  Placed in the X-ray beam near the collimator.  The collimator’s light field must be precise for accurate shield placement.  The device is adjusted to cast a shadow over the patient’s gonads.  PROTECTIVE SHIELDS Clear Lead shields  Some of the basic gonadal shielding devices such as the previously described shaped contact shield and first- generation, or earliest type of, shadow shield are being replaced by clear lead gonad and breast shielding.  These shields are made of transparent lead-acrylic material impregnated with approximately 30% lead by weight.  REFERENCES Bushong, S.C. (2017). Radiologic science for technologists: Physics, biology, and protection. (11th ed.). Mosby. Gurley, LV. T. and William J. C. (2011). Introduction to radiologic technology. (7th ed.). Mosby. Statkiewicz-Sherer,, M.A., Visconti, P., Ritenour, E.R., & Haynes, K.W. 2014. Radiation protection in medical radiography. (7th ed.). Mosby Elsevier. Yumul, R. D. (2012). Introduction to radiologic technology with science, technology and society. Educational Publishing House.