Film badges

AH x-ray equipment must be periodically inspected and the output monitored and caUbrated to minimize the chance of accidental overexposure. Another concern involves radiation accumulation by medical personnel operating x-ray equipment. Although the dose to any one patient may be low, the accumulated dose to a clinician performing multiple exams each day over the course of a year is great. Therefore, personnel working with x-ray equipment must take precautions constandy to minimize and monitor exposure. Lead aprons and film badges are used to minimize exposure and to monitor accumulated dose, respectively. 

Film badge A personal dosimeter containing photographic film that is darkened by ionizing radiation, used to evaluate the degree of ionizing radiation exposure in comparison to a control film. 

Adequate monitoring of exposure (film badges, dosimeters, etc.) ... 

BS3664 Film badges for personal radiation monitoring. 

Isotopes must be handled in an appropriate manner using forceps or handling devices if necessary. Adequate shielding must be used and film badges worn at all times. 

In this work, x-ray scatter radiation was produced at various x-ray tube potentials in the range of 60 to 120 kVp, with the x-ray tube in the over- or undertable position. Dose equivalents for clinical staff were determined using film badges placed at four or five locations, including the neck and waist, on a Rando phantom. Absorbed doses to tissues and organs, when a protective apron was not present, were determined using numerous TLDs in the phantom and auxiliary data from the literature when necessary. Absorbed doses to the tissues, when a protective apron was present, were estimated from the absorbed doses without an apron, as modified by transmission data for the appropriate x-ray tube potential and equivalent lead thickness. and E were computed for the noted range of x-ray tube... 

Tables 3.4 and 3.5 present the results for the neck and waist film badges when the indicated thicknesses of protective aprons are worn. Usually, the apron thickness is 0.5 mm lead equivalent, but auxiliary staff sometimes use thinner aprons or the back portion of a wraparound apron may be thinner, such as 0.3 mm lead equivalent.

The conversions between H, or E and Hp(10) for the film badges worn under the apron at the waist are quite variable with kVp. The fluctuations in kVp used during various fluoroscopy procedures render a direct application of these conversions for individual workers impractical. The conversions between He or E and. HpdO) for the film badges worn outside and above the apron at the neck are less variable with kVp, differing by less than a factor of 3 for He and less than a factor of 3.4 for E. 

Conversion ofH/lO) for the film badge to Hz, apron present, avertable x-ray tube only (Faulkner and Harrison, 1988). ... 

In a previous experimental study, Wphni and Stranden (1979) also investigated the relationships between the film badge response at the neck (located at the right-hand side of the thorax) and jF/e for various fluoroscopic conditions, including both over- and undertable x-ray tube orientations. The amount of scatter radiation observed from undertable orientation was less than from overtable orientation, while the distribution of the scatter radiation from undertable orientation was skewed towards the lower body, which can be shielded by protective devices located on the fluoroscopic system (Faulkner and Moores, 1982),... 

From the Wphni and Stranden study, the increase in the ratio of to the film badge response for undertable orientation is observed to be fairly constant. For the combination of kVp and equivalent lead thickness of the apron that corresponds to the overtable limiting condition, the increase in this ratio is a factor of 1.6. A revised limiting minimum ratio that includes consideration of both underand overtable x-ray tube orientations would be 5.6 (i.e., the minimum value for the overtable case of 8.9 divided by 1.6). 

Table 3.5—Conversion ofHpdO) for the film badge to E, apron present, over- and undertable x-ray tubes (Faulkner and Marshall, 1993). 

W0HNI, T. and STRANDEN, E. (1979). The new ICRP concept of person-dose related to the film-badge exposure for some geometries and radiation qualities used in medical x-ray, Health Phys. 36, 71-73. 

Employees working in the area where EB equipment is operating must be monitored for exposure to ionizing (mainly x-ray) radiation with film badges that detect and quantify any exposure to stray radiation. Employers must train workers thoroughly in the operation of the equipment and proper safety and hygiene, and must keep records of exposure of their personnel to ionizing radiation. 

People who work around radioactivity wear film badges to monitor the amount of radiation that reaches their bodies. Each badge consists of a small piece of photographic film enclosed in a lightproof wrapper. What kind of radiation do these devices monitor, and how can they determine the amount of radiation the people receive ... 

A film badge worn by workers in areas where radiation exposure may occur indicates the extent of the exposure, should any have occurred. 

This photographic film badge is a common device for monitoring radiation exposure. 

The dose to which personnel is exposed can be read off the film badge by using thermoluminescence. The thulium-doped calcium sulphate phosphor can measure low doses precisely. The X-ray image in photo stimulable luminescence (PSL) can be processed digitally by stimulating the exposed phosphor with a fight source different from the actual exposure. The PSL intensity has a linear response with respect to X-ray energy. 

You learned earlier that Becquerel discovered radioactivity because of the effect of radiahon on photographic plates. Since this discovery, several other methods have been devised to detect radiation. The effect of radiation on photographic film is the same as the effect of visible light on the film in your camera. With some care, film can be used to provide a quantitative measure of radioactivity. A film badge is a device containing a piece of radiation-sen-sihve film that is used to monitor radiation exposure. People who work with radioactive substances carry film badges to monitor the extent of their exposure to radiation. 

Geiger counters, scintillation counters, and film badges are used to detect and measure radiation. 

---