Understanding the Importance of Lead Apron and Thyroid Collar in Radiation Exposure

Case study 1
You have seated the patient and provided them with the lead apron and thyroid collar . You ask the patient to stay still when you leave the room so that there will be no movement of the film packet during exposure.  The patient wants to know why you and the operator leave the room during the exposing of the radiograph and why she needs to have this heavy apron on her.  How do you respond to her without making her fearful of the dose of radiation?
1.    Detail to the patient the reason why you provide the lead apron with a thyroid collar for her to use during radiation exposure.
2.    Explain to the patient why you and the operator leave the room for every patient during the exposure of radiation.

Case study 2
You have prepared three clients for dental radiographs imaging procedures today.  One was a young boy who had knocked his mouth in a schoolyard accident, one was an elderly woman complaining of a painful ‘right side’, and the third was a gentleman for a routine check.  One required a manual processing cycle, and two required digital transferring imaging.
For each occasion, explain:
1.     How you applied safe work practices; handled, processed, and disposed of the radiographic films; and
2.     How you mounted and filed the films and digital images that you processed.

1. Detail to the patient the reason why you provide the lead apron with a thyroid collar for her to use during radiation exposure.


2.    Explain to the patient why you and the operator leave the room for every patient during the exposure of radiation.

Case study 1:

Several interventions in dentistry are guided by fluoroscopic instrumentation and equipment . Radiological dentistry interventions are some of the most commonly used procedures in the recent times. Additionally, they have several benefits in the solution to the disease condition. However, they are known to cause alarming concerns in terms of deterministic effects of acute or chronic nature in the patient due to exposure to harmful radiation.
1. Detail to the patient the reason why you provide the lead apron with a thyroid collar for her to use during radiation exposure.
I shall inform the patient that the leaded apron is essential for her to reduce exposure of ionizing radiation to vital organs of the body. It just not only protects the organ, but also reduces the total body dose of exposure. In addition, I will explain to the patient that thyroid collar has been provided along with lead apron as the thyroid may be exposed to radiation even after wearing lead apron. It provides protection to all areas at risk in the front and back. The need for using thyroid collar during radiation exposure has also become a necessity because of the increased in rate of thyroid cancer. Thyroid is the main site that is at risk of radiation induced cancer in patient and as x-rays is mostly performed during diagnostic testing, protecting the thyroid gland is a strategy to reduce thyroid cancer risk.