BASIC PRINCIPLES The ALARA Principle

OF RADIATION • In theory, optimal image quality

PROTECTION
1. JUSTIFICATION OF PRACTICES
2. OPTIMIZATION OF PROTECTION
3. DOSE LIMITS OF EXPOSURE
JUSTIFICATION OF
PRACTICE
• No practice involving radiation
exposure should be adopted unless it
produces a sufficient benefit to the
exposed individual or to society to
offset the radiation detriment it
causes.
• The net benefit must far outweigh
the risk.
allows one to make an accurate
diagnosis, BUT a certain "balance"
between what is OPTIMAL and what
is ACCEPTABLE is needed.
DOSE LIMIT
• Occupational exposure should be
controlled so dose limits are not
exceeded.
• To determine doses received by
staff, individual personal dose
monitoring devices are worn.
1. FILM BADGE
2. OSL (OPTICALLY STIMULATED
LUMINESCENCE)
3. TLD (THERMOLUMINESCENCE
DOSIMETERS)

OPTIMIZATION OF
PROTECTION
The ALARA Principle
• Keep doses AS LOW AS
REASONABLY ACHIEVABLE, economic
and social factors taken into account-
The ALARA Principle.
• Optimization is usually applied at 2
levels
1. Design and construction of
equipment and installations
2. Day to day radiological practice
(procedures)
 CARDINAL PRINCIPLE OF
RADIATION PROTECTION
• TIME
 keep the time exposure to
radiation as SHORT as
possible
• DISTANCE
 maintain a LARGE DISTANCE
as possible between the
source of radiation and the
exposed person.
• SHIELDING
 insert shielding material MPD
between the radiation source • MPD (Maximum Permissible Dose)
and the exposed person.  the maximum dose of
radiation that would be
REMEMBER THE “STD” expected to produce no
significant radiation effects.
• Weekly MPD for occupational
exposed person's= 100mrem
• MPD for radiation workers than for
the general public is 10x greater.
• MPD has been replaced by NCRP
with DOSE LIMIT (DL)

MPD=5(N-18)
EFFECTIVE DOSE
• The maximum permissible dose for
• Equivalent to whole-body dose
a 25-year-old man is about __ at old
• Formula: Effective dose (E) = (WT)X
unit.
(WR)X rad
• 5(25-18)=5(7)= 35rem/0.35Sv
• Rad= radiation absorbed dose
• In new computation for DL
• Wt= tissue weighting factor
• 10mSv x 25=
• Wr=radiation weighting factor
250mSv/0.25Sv/25rem
RADIATION QUANTITIES
AND QUALITIES
REMEMBER THE WORD “EEAR”
EXPOSURE
EFFECTIVE DOSE
ABSORBED DOSE
ROENTGEN (R)
 • The number of radioactive atoms
that undergo decay per unit time
• 1 Ci= 3.73 x 10power of 10 ds/s

RADIOGRAPHIC
PROTECTION FEATURES

PROTECTIVE X-RAY TUBE

HOUSING
• X-ray tube must be contained
within protective housing
• Reduces leakage radiation
EXPOSURE
• lonization of air by x or y (gamma)
rays by dividing the number of ions
formed in one side with the mass of
air (ion pair is produced)
• Remember: 34 eV- the energy of x- CONTROL PANEL
ray required to produce an ion pair in • Must indicate the condition of
gas. exposure
• Special unit is roentgen (R) • Must positively indicate when the
x-ray tube is energized
ABSORBED DOSE • Must indicate when the x-ray beam
• Used for all kinds of radiation for is energized (visible or audible
any material signals)
• Energy transferred by ionizing • Use of kVp & mA indicators
radiation to the interacting medium
per unit mass.
• Unit used that refers to dose
received by patients.
• Special unit is gray (Gy)-new unit
• Rad-old unit
EQUIVALENT DOSE
SOURCE-TO-IMAGE RECEPTOR
• Amount of radiation exposure
received by radiation workers. DISTANCE INDICATOR
• Special unit is Sievert (Sv) -new unit • Must be provided
• Rem-old unit • A tape measure attached to the
tube housing or as advance as lasers
RADIOACTIVITY
• Quantity of radioactive material
COLLIMATION
Light-localized, variable-aperture
rectangular collimators should be
provided
• Cones & Diaphragms: for special
examination

TYPE OF COLLIMATOR

POSITIVE-BEAM LIMITATION
(PBL).
• Automatic, light-localized, variable-
aperture collimators

BEAM ALIGNMENT
• Each radiographic tube should be
provided with a mechanism to
ensure proper alignment of the x-ray
beam & the IR

FILTRATION
• Total Filtration:
• 2.5 mm Al - operated above 70 kVp
• 1.5 mm Al - operated b/n 50-70
kVp
• 0.5 mm Al - operated below 50 kVp
• HVL: it measures filtration
• Mammography
• Total Filtration: 30 um Mo or 60
um Rh

REPRODUCIBILITY
• For any radiographic technique, the
output radiation intensity should be
constant form one exposure to
another

LINEARITY
• Ability of a radiographic unit to
produce constant radiation output
for various combinations of mA &
exposure time
• Radiation Intensity: mR/mAs

OPERATOR SHIELD
• Fixed Protective Barrier (Console
Booth)
• Protective Apparel

MOBILE X-RAY IMAGING

SYSTEM
• Lead Apron: should be assigned
with 0.25 mm Pb equivalent
thickness.
• Exposure Switch: at least 2 m from
x-ray tube during exposure
• Useful Beam: must be directed
away from the RT