EYE RADIATION DOSE SAVING IN HEAD CT EXAMINATIONS USING COPPER-BISMUTH RADIATION SHIELD

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Radiological Imaging
• Materials Science

Background:

• Ocular radiation exposure during head CT scans poses a risk to patients.
• Existing eye shields may compromise diagnostic image quality.
• Developing effective, non-intrusive shielding is crucial for radiation protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and evaluate a novel copper-bismuth (Cu-Bi) alloy shield for ocular protection during head CT.
• To determine the optimal Cu-Bi composition for minimizing radiation dose without degrading image quality.
• To assess the clinical applicability of the developed eye shield.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of radiation shields with varying copper and bismuth compositions.
• Quantitative evaluation of dose reduction and image quality impact using a Computed Tomography Dose Index phantom.
• Selection of the optimal shield based on phantom study results (minimal noise increase, no significant artifacts).
• Clinical assessment of the chosen shield in a patient study.

Main Results:

• The 10%Bi-90%Cu shield demonstrated the least increase in image noise and no remarkable artifacts in phantom studies.
• Patient studies indicated that artifacts, when present (25% of cases), did not distort image interpretation.
• The 10%Bi-90%Cu shield proved to be flexible and durable.

Conclusions:

• The 10%Bi-90%Cu shield offers effective ocular radiation dose reduction in head CT examinations.
• This shield maintains diagnostic image quality, making it suitable for clinical use.
• The developed Cu-Bi shield represents a safe and practical solution for protecting patients' eyes during head CT procedures.