Exposure to lonizing Radiation in the Emergency Department from Performed Portable Radiographs.
- Author:
Won Ju JUNG
;
Sung Hoon CHO
;
Ok Jun KIM
;
Dae Yee GO
;
Sung Jung KIM
;
Sung Wook CHOI
;
Yun Kyung CHO
;
Jae Whan PARK
;
Sang Wook LIM
;
Dong Hun CHA
;
Kyung Po LEE
;
Jong Woo KIM
- Publication Type:Original Article
- MeSH:
Emergencies*;
Emergency Service, Hospital*;
Humans;
Patient Care;
Pelvis;
Radiation, Ionizing;
Radiography, Thoracic;
Spine
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
1999;10(1):53-59
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
To accurately assess the potential hazard of exposure to ionizing radiation from portable radiographs taken in the emergency department,.a study was performed to measure such radiation at different distances from the edge of an irradiated field during portable cervical spine, portable chest radiographs, and portable anteroposterior pelvis radiographs. For all three types of portable radiographs, radiation exposure is high at the edge from the beam. However, radiation exposure is deceased at 20, 40, 80, 160cm away from the beam. This study confirms and supports the evidence that although radiation exposure is dependent on distance from the primary radiograph beam, exposure in the ED is minimal. Medical personnel should not have to leave a patient care area for fear of undue acute and chronic radiation exposure while portable radiographs are performed in the ED. By using protective garments and standing appropriate distance away from the patient, continuous patient care can be maintained while portable radiographs are taken in the ED.
