Radiographic artifacts caused by the laundering of flame-retardant materials

Federal law now mandates the use of flame retardants in children's sleepwear, and regulations are pending in several areas to require their use in all hospital fabrics. These flame retardants produce radiographic artifacts due to their alteration of fabric surface properties. Knowledge of the cause of these problems and their solution should be of help in radiographic interpretation and should save patient expense and radiographic exposure.