Radiation at a Distance C10 Radiation at a Distance

How far is truly safe enough to stand away from the x-ray beam?

Purpose Objective How? Determine how far a tech needs to be from the x-ray tube to receive undetectable radiation from a portable exposure Using a x-table hip technique we placed coins on a digital detector and moved the detector 3 feet away with each exposure with the x-ray tube directed to the table bucky.

Table Set Up Table set up with the cassette moving away in 3 feet increments

Our Experiment The first 5 images were taken with the table set up & with a technique of 70 kVp @ 15 mAs 0 ft 3 ft 6 ft 9 ft – had to window & level 12 ft – had to window & level The next 2 images were taken with the table set up & with a technique of 80 kVp @ 75 mAs 12 ft 15 ft - had to window & level

O Feet Cassette in table bucky 70 kVp @ 15 mAs

3 Feet Away Cassette on cart 70 kVp @ 15 mAs

6 Feet Away Cassette on cart 70 kVp @ 15 mAs

9 Feet Away Cassette on cart 70 kVp @ 15 mAs Had to window & level to see coins

12 Feet Away Cassette on cart 70 kVp @ 15 mAs Had to window & level to try to see coins

12 Feet Away Cassette on cart 80 kVp @ 75 mAs

15 Feet Away Cassette on cart 80 kVp @ 75 mAs Had to window & level to see coins

X-ray beam directed to Wall bucky Wall Bucky Set Up: Tube facing the wall, bucky with the cassette on the other side or behind the tube, moving cassette away from the tube in 3 foot increments

Last 3 Exposures The last 3 images were taken with the tube facing the wall bucky with the cassette on the other side of the room & a technique of 80 kVp @ 75 mAs 3 ft 6 ft 9ft – had to window & level

3 Feet Away Cassette on cart behind x-ray tube 80 kVp @ 75 mAs

6 Feet Away Cassette on cart behind x-ray tube 80 kVp @ 75 mAs

9 Feet Away Cassette on cart behind x-ray tube 80 kVp @ 75 mAs Had to window & level to see coins

How far is far enough? According to our results, the recommended 6 feet away isn’t far enough. Techs should make sure that they are putting as much distances possible between themselves and the x-ray machines.​ Based off of our research we found that even at 15 feet away using a cross table hip technique, shadows of the coins we used were still visible

References: Mosby (2005). “C-arm Orientation and Exposure Patterns”