1. Radiation at a Distance
C10 Radiation at a Distance

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

3. 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.

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

5. Our Experiment
The first 5 images were taken with the table set up & with a technique of 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 mAs
12 ft
15 ft - had to window & level

6. O Feet
Cassette in table bucky
70 15 mAs

7. 3 Feet Away
Cassette on cart
70 15 mAs

8. 6 Feet Away
Cassette on cart
70 15 mAs

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

10. 12 Feet Away Cassette on cart 70 kVp @ 15 mAs
Had to window & level to try to see coins

11. 12 Feet Away
Cassette on cart
80 75 mAs

12. 15 Feet Away Cassette on cart 80 kVp @ 75 mAs
Had to window & level to see coins

13. 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

14. 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 mAs
3 ft
6 ft
9ft – had to window & level

15. 3 Feet Away
Cassette on cart behind x-ray tube
80 75 mAs

16. 6 Feet Away
Cassette on cart behind x-ray tube
80 75 mAs

17. 9 Feet Away Cassette on cart behind x-ray tube 80 kVp @ 75 mAs
Had to window & level to see coins

18. 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

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