Why do you need a lead apron during an x-ray?

Why do people of reproductive age have to wear a lead apron when having an x ray? Lead aprons reduce the radiation dose to the reproductive organs from a variety of diagnostic x-ray procedures. Even though risk is low, it is prudent to reduce radiation dose when it is feasible and practicable.

What happens if you take x-ray without protection?

Perhaps more prevalent, dental X-rays that use radiation can cause nausea in patients when a lead apron is not worn. Also, headaches and a fever may form if dental X-rays are given without the use of a protective lead apron.

Why do doctors hide during x-rays?

The reason the doctors hide in an x-ray is to avoid radiation exposure, this is an example of an x-ray technicians hand from the 1900s being exposed to to much radiation.

Why do x-ray technicians stand behind a shield when giving x-rays to patients?

X-ray rooms have barrier walls and windows that keep exposure inside the room. During these imaging procedures, radiologic technicians leave the room, or stand behind a protective shield, such as a curtain, that is designed to keep out radiation.

What is lead apron?

A lead apron is personal protective equipment made of radioactive shield material, worn to drastically minimize the dosage of radioactivity the wearer absorbs. The suit is made from rubber and lead and can be designed in a variety of ways.

Are lead aprons required?

Lead aprons and thyroid collars offer protection from scatter radiation reducing a patient’s overall radiation dose. 177 are followed, then lead aprons are not required for dental radiographic examinations unless required by the state.

Can I have an x-ray while on my period?

You cannot have your medical examination during your period (menstruation) because it can affect your urinalysis results — you will need to wait until your period finishes before having your medical examination.

Does x-ray affect sperm?

We know that very high radiation doses can damage or kill eggs or sperm. However, diagnostic radiology (e.g., x-ray or CT) uses only low radiation doses. These doses are much lower than those that could produce destructive effects to eggs or sperm.

What can’t X-rays see through?

What an X-ray Cannot Detect. While X-rays show irregularities, they are very limited in what they are able to display. For example, muscles and ligaments do not show up very well on an X-ray scan.

What happens if you move during an X-ray?

Motion can cause blurry images. You may be asked to hold your breath or not move for a second or two when the image is being taken.

How long does x-ray radiation stay in the body?

To put it simply, the amount of radiation from one adult chest x-ray (0.1 mSv) is about the same as 10 days of natural background radiation that we are all exposed to as part of our daily living.

How much radiation is an xray technician exposed to?

How much radiation am I exposed to when I get a medical x-ray procedure? Generally, the radiation received during an x-ray is small compared to other radiation sources (e.g., radon in the home). The average annual radiation dose from natural background sources (for comparison) is 3.0 mSv (300 mrem).

What happens during an X-ray scan?

During the 15- or 20-minute scan, you lie inside a doughnut-shaped machine as an imaging device rotates around you, transmitting radiation. The technique combines multiple X-ray images and with the aid of a computer produces cross-sectional views of your body. By examining the views, a doctor can look for early signs of abnormalities.

Do whole-body scans use a lot of radiation?

Whole-body scans use a lot of radiation. The scans use two kinds of technology: CT (computed tomography) scan: Takes many X-ray pictures of the body. PET (positron emission tomography) scan: Radioactive material is injected into the body and collects in areas with cancer.

What are the risks of a whole-body scan?

When you have a scan on one body part, your risks are limited. There is protection for other parts—like the lead blanket that covers you during dental X-rays. Whole-body scans can lead to unnecessary follow-up tests. Often, whole-body scans show some things that do not look normal. Almost all of these are harmless.

Are CT scans harmful to your health?

Unlike the images produced by normal X-ray technique, CT scans give cross-sectional images of body parts and organs. Body’s exposure to radiations in CT scans is quite harmful. We ask Dr Gita Prakash about how harmful can these scans be. She says, “We don’t advise scans and X-rays too frequently. They are advised only at certain ages.