Radiation shielding in dental radiography.

Area of Science:

• Radiological Protection
• Medical Physics
• Dental Imaging

Background:

• Intraoral radiography utilizes ionizing radiation, necessitating protective measures for patients.
• Assessing the efficacy of various radiation shielding devices is crucial for minimizing patient dose.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the protective effect of different radiation shielding types on the thyroid, sternal, and gonadal regions during intraoral radiography.
• To quantify the absorbed dose reduction achieved by various shielding configurations.

Main Methods:

• Tested leaded aprons with attached or separate collars, and a horizontal leaded shield.
• Measured absorbed doses in the thyroid, sternal, and gonadal regions using ionization chambers.
• Utilized two dental X-ray machines (60 and 65 kVp) with different collimators and exposure techniques.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in thyroid protection was found between different shielding types.
• Thyroid dose was reduced by approximately a factor of 2-5, depending on the technique.
• Sternal dose was reduced to below 2 microGy with apron and collar combinations, and by a factor of 6 with a horizontal shield.
• Gonadal dose was reduced by a factor of 10 with the horizontal shield, paralleling technique, and circular collimator.

Conclusions:

• Various radiation shielding devices provide significant dose reduction to critical organs during intraoral radiography.
• Leaded aprons, collars, and horizontal shields are effective in minimizing patient radiation exposure.
• The choice of shielding and technique impacts the degree of dose reduction achieved.