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All healing arts fluoroscopic installations shall comply with the following:
(1) A diagnostic type protective X-ray tube housing shall be used.
(2) The source-to-panel or source-to-table top distance of equipment installed before March 16, 1972 shall not be less than 12 inches, and shall not be less than 15 inches in equipment installed or re-installed thereafter.
(3) The total filtration permanently in the useful beam, including the aluminum equivalent of table top or panel top, shall not be less than 2.5 millimeters aluminum equivalent. [Note: This requirement may be assumed to have been met if the half-value layer is equivalent to not less than 2.5 millimeters aluminum at normal operating voltages.]
(4) The equipment shall be so constructed that the entire cross-section of the useful beam is attenuated by a primary barrier designed to automatically terminate exposure when the barrier is removed from the useful beam (this barrier is usually the viewing device, either a conventional fluoroscopic screen or an image intensification mechanism), and:
(A) for equipment installed after March 16, 1972 the required lead equivalent of the barrier shall not be less than 1.5 millimeters for up to 100 kVp, not less than 1.8 millimeters for greater than 100 and less than 125 kVp, and not less than 2.0 millimeters for 125 kVp or greater. [Note: For conventional fluoroscopes these requirements may be assumed to have been met if the exposure rate measured at the viewing surface of the fluorescent screen does not exceed 20 milliroentgens per hour with the screen in the primary beam of the fluoroscope without a patient, under normal operating conditions.];
(B) a collimator shall be provided to restrict the cross-sectional dimensions of the useful beam to less than the corresponding dimensions of the barrier. The tube and collimating system shall be linked with the fluorescent screen assembly so that the useful beam at the fluorescent screen is confined within the barrier irrespective of the panel-screen distance. The margin requirement does not apply to installations where image intensifiers are used, but a shutter or other protective shielding device shall be provided in these installations so that the useful beam is restricted to the diameter of the input phosphor;
(C) the tube mounting and the barrier (the viewing device) shall be so linked together that, under conditions of normal use, the barrier always intercepts the entire useful beam; and
(D) collimators and adjustable diaphragms or shutters used to restrict the size of the useful beam shall provide the same degree of protection as is required of the tube housing.
(5) The exposure switch shall be a dead-man type.
(6) A manual-reset, cumulative timing device activated by the exposure switch shall be used which will either indicate elapsed exposure time by an audible signal or turn off the machine when the total exposure exceeds a predetermined limit not exceeding five minutes in one or a series of exposures.
(7) A shielding device of at least 0.25 millimeters lead equivalent material shall be provided for covering the Bucky-slot during fluoroscopy.
(8) Protective drapes or hinges or sliding panels of at least 0.25 millimeters lead equivalent material shall be provided between the patient and fluoroscopist to intercept scattered radiation which would otherwise reach the fluoroscopist and others near the machine. [Note: Such devices shall not substitute for wearing of a protective apron.]
(9) For routine fluoroscopy, the exposure rate measured where the beam enters the patient should be as low as practicable, but in any case shall not exceed 10 roentgens per minute.
(10) Mobile fluoroscopic equipment shall meet the requirements of this part where applicable, and the following additional requirements.
(A) in the absence of a table top, a cone or spacer frame shall limit the target-to-skin distance to not less than 30 centimeters (12 inches);
(B) image intensification shall always be provided as conventional fluoroscopic screens shall not be used;
(C) it shall be impossible to operate a machine except when the collimating cone or diaphragm is in place and the entire useful beam intercepted by the image intensifier; and
(D) the exposure rate measured at the minimum source-to-skin distance should be as low as practical but in any case shall not exceed 10 roentgens per minute.
(11) Protective aprons of at least 0.25 millimeters lead equivalent material shall be worn in the fluoroscopy room by each person (other than the patient) whose body is likely to be exposed to five milliroentgens per hour or more.
(12) Dark adaptation shall be observed by the operator for at least 15 minutes prior to a fluoroscopic examination if image intensification is not provided.
History: Eff. 9/16/71, Register 39
Authority: AS 46.03.020
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The Alaska Administrative Code was automatically converted to HTML from a plain text format. Every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, but neither Touch N' Go Systems nor the Law Offices of James B. Gottstein can be held responsible for any possible errors. This version of the Alaska Administrative Code is current through June, 2006.
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Last modified 7/05/2006