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All medical radiographic installations shall comply with the requirements of this section:
(1) A diagnostic type protective X-ray tube housing shall be used.
(2) Diaphragms, cones, or adjustable collimators capable of restricting the useful beam to the area of clinical interest shall be provided to define the beam and shall provide the same degree of attenuation as is required of the protective tube housing, and when used with photofluorographic equipment these devices shall restrict the useful beam to the area of the photofluorographic screen. Such devices shall be calibrated in terms of the size of the projected useful beam at specified source-film distances.
(3) Radiographic equipment equipped with adjustable collimators shall provide light localizers that define the entire field and produce a visible indication of adequate collimation and alignment on the X-ray film. Field size indication on adjustable collimators shall be accurately aligned with the X-ray field to within one inch for a source-to-film distance of 72 inches.
(4) Except when contraindicated for a particular medical purpose, the aluminum equivalent of the total filtration in the useful beam shall not be less than 0.5 millimeters for equipment operating below 50 kVp, shall not be less than 1.5 millimeters for equipment operating from 50 kVp to 70 kVp, and shall not be less than 2.5 millimeters for equipment operating above 70 kVp. [Note: If the filter in the machine is not accessible for examination or the total filtration is unknown, the requirements of this section may be assumed to have been met if the half-value layer of the useful beam is not less than that shown in Table VI.]
TABLE VI MINIMUM ALUMINUM EQUIVALENT Operating Half-Value Layer Voltage (millimeters of Aluminum) (kVp) 0.6 50 1.6 70 2.6 90 2.8 100 3.0 110 3.3 120
(5) A device shall be provided to terminate the exposure after a preset time or exposure.
(6) The exposure switch shall be of a dead-man type and shall be arranged so that it cannot be operated outside a shielded area, except that exposure switches for "spot film" devices used in conjunction with fluoroscopic tables and for mobile diagnostic radiographic equipment are exempt from this shielding requirement.
(7) The exposure switch for mobile equipment shall be arranged so that the operator can stand at least six feet from the patient and well away from the useful beam.
(8) The control panel shall include
(A) a device which will give positive indication of the production of X-rays whenever the X-ray tube is energized; and
(B) appropriate devices which will give positive indication of the physical factors (e.g., kVp, mA, exposure time) used for the exposure.
(9) All wall, floor, and ceiling areas which could potentially intercept the useful beam shall have primary barriers.
(10) Primary barriers in walls shall extend to a minimum height of 84 inches above the floor.
(11) Secondary barriers shall be provided in all wall, floor, and ceiling areas not having primary barriers or where the primary barrier requirements are lower than the secondary barrier requirements. [Note: In radiographic installations where the average radiographic workload is comparatively low, the conventional structural material in ordinary walls, floors, and ceilings may suffice as primary and/or secondary barriers without the addition of special shielding materials, particularly if the useful beam cannot be directed at occupied areas.]
(12) The operator's station shall be behind a protective barrier which will intercept the entire useful beam and any radiation which has been scattered only once, and it shall be impossible for the operator to energize the tube while outside the protective barrier. [Note: "Spot film" devices used in conjunction with fluoroscopic tables are exempted from this requirement.]
(13) A window of lead equivalent glass equal to that required by the adjacent barrier, or a mirror system, shall be provided and it shall be large enough and so placed that the operator can see the patient during the exposure without having to leave the protective area.
(14) When a mobile unit is used routinely in one location, it shall be considered a fixed installation subject to the shielding requirements specified in this section and sec. 440 of this chapter.
(15) When a patient must be held in position for radiography, mechanical supporting or restraining devices shall be used unless such devices interfere with the diagnosis.
(16) If a patient must be held by an individual, that individual shall be protected with appropriate shielding devices such as protective gloves and apron and he shall be so positioned that no part of his body will be struck by the useful beam.
(17) No individual occupationally exposed to radiation shall be permitted to hold patients during exposures except during emergencies, nor shall any individual be regularly used for this service.
(18) Only individuals required for the radiographic procedure shall be in the radiographic room during exposure and, except for the patient, no unprotected parts of their bodies shall be in the useful beam.
(19) The useful beam shall be restricted to the area of the film.
(20) Patients shall be provided with a shield to protect the gonadal area of the body unless the use of such shield prohibits proper diagnosis.
(21) Mobile diagnostic radiographic equipment shall meet the requirements of this section, except for paragraph (18), and the following additional requirements:
(A) all individuals except the patient being examined shall be in shielded positions during exposure; and
(B) personnel monitoring shall be required for all individuals operating mobile X-ray equipment.
(22) Chest photofluorographic installations shall meet the requirements of this section, and the following additional requirements:
(A) all individuals except the patient being examined shall be in shielded positions during exposure; and
(B) personnel monitoring shall be required for all individuals operating photofluorographic equipment.
History: Eff. 9/16/71, Register 39
Authority: AS 46.03.020
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Last modified 7/05/2006