Abstract
The use of lead apron is known to protect radiation workers and carers (patient relatives) from the scatter radiation. The study intends to assess the integrity of lead apron by checking for defects and to estimate the mean dose rate to personnel and carers and also to compare the percentage mean absorbance of the apron with the related studies. Ten lead aprons were used involving three vendors. A fluoroscopy unit, floor mounted X-ray unit, survey meter, lead aprons and meter rule were used. Crack and tear were identified with some areas close to the critical organ site. Eighty percent of the aprons showed signs that they were defective. Correlation of the lead aprons mean age and the total number of defective lead aprons were not significant (p=0.866). The mean thickness of the aprons for the three brands affected the percentage absorbance (p<0.001). The mean dose rate was above 20 mSv recommended for radiation workers averaged over a single year. It is recommended that the defective apron close to the critical organ be replaced and those in areas distal from the critical organs be further evaluated using the rejection criteria test before they are replaced.
Highlights
The use of X-ray equipment requires that appropriate shielding should be put in place
Of interest to us in this study is the lead apron which serves the purpose of protecting and shielding radiation worker and patient relative who assist in holding unstable patient during examination from the potentially harmful effects of ionizing radiation
The Instantaneous Dose Rate (IDR) was further used to calculate the Time-Average Dose Rate (TADR) which was taken as eight hours per day and was used to determine the dose per year.[15, 16]
Summary
The use of X-ray equipment requires that appropriate shielding should be put in place. Shielding refers to radiation protection and to materials that have the ability to absorb large amount of ionizing radiation, usually X-rays and Gamma rays. The categories of shielding include fixed, mobile, and personal shielding. Fixed shielding includes the thickness of walls, which should have a lead equivalence of 1 to 3 mm, the doors, and protective cubicles. Personal shielding includes lead apron, gloves, thyroid shield, and glass spectacles.[1, 2] Of interest to us in this study is the lead apron which serves the purpose of protecting and shielding radiation worker and patient relative (carer) who assist in holding unstable patient during examination from the potentially harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Studies have shown that lead aprons are usually kept carelessly in the X-ray room after use. X-ray departments that have racks and hangers hardly return them back and those that do not have in most of the cases leave them on table bucky of the X-ray machine or they are thrown on the lead screens or barrier after use, this in turn damages the internal structure of the lead and renders it ineffective for future use.[3,4,5]
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