Radiation Safety

Which option is NOT a form of radiation in veterinary medicine?

MRI

What are the 3 components needed to produce X-rays?

Source of electrons, means of accelerating electrons, target material to recive electrons

How are x-rays made?

High energy electrons collide with inner shell electrons, and both are ejected

What does kVp stand for?

Kilovoltage peak

Define kVp.

Peak potential applied to xray tube that accelerates electrons from cathode to anode

What does kVp control in an x-ray film?

Contrast

What does mA measure?

Number of x-ray photons produces over a period of time

What does mA control in x-ray film?

How long exposure lasts

True or False: one setting for kVp and mA one an x-ray machine will work for every patient.

False

What is dose creep?

Production of quality images in a digital x-ray system even with excessive doses

What type of radiation are x-rays?

Electromagnetic

True or False: non-ionizing radiation is less dangerous than ionizing radiation/

True

Define keV.

Amount of energy a wave has available to transfer to your body.

Why is ionizing radiation more dangerous than non-ionizing?

Can strip away electron, leading to potential for change/damage to cells and tissues

True or False: the effects of ionizing radiation are non-cumulative.

False

Which option is NOT an outcome of radiation exposure?

Cell swelling

What is the primary indirect effect of ionizing radiation in tissue?

Splitting of H2O

What is radiosensitivity?

The more the cell replicates, the more sensitive it is to ionizing radiation

True or False: a high single dose of ionizing radiation causes less damange than an equivalent dose over time.

False

Which type of ionizing radiation effect can be avoided?

Deterministic effects

Which type of ionizing radiation effect does NOT possess a threshold dose?

Stochatic effects

Which type of ionizing radiation effect will result in cell death?

Deterministic effects

Which type of ionizing radiation effect with result in cell modification?

Stochatic effects

Define ALARA.

As Low As Reasonably Achievable

Which component is NOT part of ALARA protection?

Movement

How does distance protect a person from exposure?

Inverse square law - if distance increased by a factor of two, then exposure reduced to one-fourth

What material is best used for shielding as personal protective wear?

Lead

Why is lead a good shielding material?

High attenuation co-efficient