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Updated: Mar 12, 2026

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X-ray Dose Reduction through Adaptive Exposure in Fluoroscopic Imaging
Published on: September 11, 2011
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Gonadal Shielding in Radiography: A Best Practice?
Radiologic Technology
|November 13, 2016
Summary
Shielding the testes during pelvic imaging significantly reduces radiation exposure by 36.4%. Routine use of gonadal shielding is a best practice for adult male radiographic procedures.
Area of Science:
- Radiological physics
- Medical imaging
- Radiation protection
Background:
- Minimizing radiation dose to reproductive organs is crucial in diagnostic imaging.
- Gonadal shielding practices can vary, leading to inconsistent radiation protection for male patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the radiation dose reduction to phantom testes when using a flat contact shield during pelvic radiography.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of gonadal shielding in reducing testicular radiation exposure.
Main Methods:
- A male anthropomorphic pelvis phantom was utilized for imaging.
- Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were placed in the phantom's testes locations.
- Pelvic imaging was performed with and without a flat contact shield, with ten exposures for each condition.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant reduction in radiation dose to the testes was observed when shielding was applied (t test, F = 8.306, P < .006).
- Utilizing a flat contact shield resulted in a 36.4% decrease in radiation exposure to the testes compared to unshielded imaging.
Conclusions:
- Flat contact shielding is an effective method for significantly reducing radiation dose to the testes during adult male pelvic imaging.
- Despite literature discrepancies, routine gonadal shielding for adult males undergoing pelvic radiography is recommended as a best practice.
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