[Efficacy of gonadal shielding in pediatric pelvis X-rays]

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of using gonadal shielding in pediatric patients.

Between October 2011 and February 2012, 1137 pelvic X-rays of 675 consecutive patients (323 boys, 352 girls; mean age 6.8 years; range 6 month to 17 years) in our hospital were evaluated in terms of gonadal shielding use by a team including an orthopedist, a gynecologist and a pediatrician.

Gonadal shields were used in 566 (49.8%) pelvic X-rays of 1137 patients and important anatomical landmarks were left open in 506 (44.5%) of them. In 104 (9.1%) X-rays, the shields were placed in correct position. It was observed that a total of 293 (25.7%) X-rays were partially protective, while 109 (9.6%) X-rays were placed in a totally wrong position. Nineteen X-rays (3.3%) were repeated due to malposition of the gonadal shielding. In X-rays of boys, gonadal shields were used for 193 (17%); however only 74 (6.5%) of them were placed in correct position. In X-rays of girls, gonadal shields were used for 373 (32.8%); however only 30 (2.6%) of them were protective.

If we take into consideration that use of pelvic X-rays is essential and indispensable for the diagnosis of many pediatric pelvic diseases, we believe that technicians who are responsible for taking these X-rays should be better trained on the use of gonadal shields and designs of gonadal shields should be improved.