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Introduction: Radiographers’ awareness about the principles of radiation protection and the physical principles of digital radiology devices can play an important role in obtaining quality images and reducing the dose of patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of students and radiologists awareness of Khorasan province in the field of radiation protection principles and physical principles of digital imaging systems. Methods and Materials: A digital radiography questionnaire was used in this study whose validity and reliability were confirmed. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic questions. The second part included 11 questions about the principles of radiation protection and 11 questions about the physical basics of working with digital radiography devices. If the answer is correct, a positive score is given and other options are given a zero score. The third part, which was specific to radiographers, included a question about participating in previous training workshops. Results: The level of awareness about the principles of radiation protection in radiographers (score 49.08 ± 14.45) was significantly higher than that of students (score 66.63 ± 16.99) (P < 0.05). The level of awareness about physical basics in students (score 54.27 ± 17.09) was significantly higher than radiographers (score 39.36 ± 10.45) (P < 0.05). The level of awareness about physical principles had a significant and negative relationship with age and work experience (P < 0.05). Discussion and Conclusion: Radiographer’s level of awareness about the physical basics of digital imaging systems is insufficient. It is necessary to increase radiographer’s level of awareness in this field through the development of continuous training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Radiology technicians have a critical role in protecting patients along with providing high-quality images. The present study assessed radiology students' last semester about the principles of protection, dose level, and cancer risk of ionizing radiation applied for diagnostic imaging. This study was conducted in training hospitals of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz City, Iran. Subjects and Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed using a study-designed questionnaire. The sample size was 40, and statistical analysis was performed in SPSS v. 24. Results Only 15% of students correctly answered the question of ionizing radiation stochastic effect. While 70% of students stated the average dose of an abdominal ultrasound correctly, only 2.5% of them determined the average dose of a myocardial nuclear medicine scan correctly. In total, the respondents received 35% of the overall score of knowledge about cancer risk caused by ionizing radiation of imaging examinations. Conclusion The students' knowledge about the principles of radiation protection was moderate, and their knowledge about the level of radiation dose and cancer risk caused by various imaging procedures was insufficient. Theoretical and practical education has a significant role in improving the knowledge and skills of radiology technicians. So, repeating and emphasizing the principles of radiation protection and paying more attention to these topics in the courses and internships of radiology technology students seems necessary. These measures will improve the performance of students and make them prepared to accept their future professional responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, with the increasing use of ionizing radiation like X-rays in diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the risk of fetal exposure in pregnant women also increases. Therefore, protecting pregnant women from ionizing radiation is essential and is considered as the standard criterion for Medical Radiation Center. So the aim of this study was to investigate the observance of protective principles and 10-day rule in imaging of susceptible women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Radiography Centers of Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from July 2017 to September 2017. First, patients who were under radiography, were asked about the knowledge of the radiographers about the 10-day rule and radiation protection. Then a questionnaire with 12 questions was given to the radiographers in radiology and CT scan center. Finally, the existence of protection guidelines for pregnant women was determined by asking manager and checking at the moment. Results: The patient's question about pregnancy failed about 19%, which did not have a significant relationship with patients' singleness (P=0.0004). Also the mean scores for the knowledge of radiographers about radiation protection were 14.21±0.96, which did not have a significant relationship with their work record and place of employment and their educational level (P=0.09). On the other hand, in half of the radiography centers, the written radiation protection guidelines were not available. Conclusion: Principles of radiation protection and 10-day rule for radiography of women who were prone to pregnancy were desirable but due to importance of radiation protection, the rules should be more carefully implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are several techniques for reducing the delivered dose from CT (Computed tomography) scanning such as the automatic exposure control (AEC). This technique modulates the tube current regarding the patient size and weight. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of the AEC on the radiosensitive organs effective doses in women undergoing chest CT scanning. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, analytical and quantitative study that was performed during 3 months in the imaging section of the Firoozgar educational and therapeutic hospital (belonging to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences) in the spring of 2017. CT scan exposure parameters were gathered and registered for 54 women undergoing chest CT scan. Twenty-five of these scans were performed using AEC system and 29 of them were performed without using AEC. CT dose indexes in the center and peripheral regions of the standard phantom were calculated using the exposure parameters. Weighted CT dose index was also calculated and effective organ doses were obtained using CT-Expo software, version 2 (Medizinische Hochschule, Hannover, Germany) for two mentioned groups. In addition, noise was measured for these two groups as an image quality parameter. Results: Calculated weighted CT dose indexes were 9.94 mGy and 12.46 mGy using AEC system and without using AEC, respectively. The calculated effective doses were equal to 5.4 mSv and 6.3 mSv using AEC and without using AEC, respectively. Maximum organ effective doses were 15, 14, 14 and 14 mSv for breast, esophagus, lung and thymus respectively in the non-using AEC system imaging technique. Conclusion: Our measurements indicated a decrease about 15% in weighted CT dose index (from 12.46 to 9.94 mGy) using AEC system. Beside of this fact, the noise increased about 11.3% (from 4.2 to 4.74) using AEC system. So, it can be said that using of AEC was an effective way for dose reduction in women undergoing chest CT scanning, and the additional noise was in the acceptable range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anode heel effect refers to reduction of radiation intensity in the anode side of X-ray tube. This variation in radiation intensity across the anode-cathode of X-ray tube can be benefited for decrease radiation exposure in some radiological examinations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of anode heel orientation on the radiation dose received by the testes in male patients undergoing pelvic radiography. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted at one of the teaching hospitals of Ahvaz, Jundishapur University of Medical Science Ahvaz, Iran, from September 2015 to March 2016. In order to measure the profile of radiation intensity variation, 13 paired sets of high radiosensitive cylindrical lithium fluoride thermo-luminescent dosimeters (TLD) aligned on the cathode-anode central axis upon the table and then irradiated using routine exposure parameters. The anode of X-ray tube was positioned toward the feet for 40 patients and toward the head for 39 patients undergoing pelvic radiography. For measure the entrance skin dose (ESD), 8 TLD chips were located on the central point of the radiation field and 5 TLDs were located on the testes position to measure the dose received. Results: Radiation intensity profile showed that radiation intensity decrease from the cathode to the anode side. Discrepancy of radiation intensity on central axis of cathode-anode was calculated about 35%. The radiation dose received by the testes was 26.74% lower for patients the anode directed toward the feet, compared to the patients in which the anode directed toward the head (FTC: 1.260±0.296 mGy, FTA: 0.923±0.167 mGy, P<0.05). There was no meaningful difference for the measured ESD of pelvis between two groups of patients (FTC: 1.256±0.315 mGy, FTA: 1.195±0.205 mGy, P=0.788). Conclusion: In pelvic radiography, positioning of testes directed to the anode of X-ray tube can decrease the receive dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: More than 80% of patients need to take x-rays during their diagnosis and treatment stages. Due to the biological effects of ionizing radiation, observance of radiation protection principles are necessary. The observance of radiation protection principles in intensive care units at Imam Reza hospital of Kermanshah in 2014 was evaluated in this study. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study which was performed by census method, performance of 38 radiographers working in target center was investigated regarding the following of the principles of radiation protection in respect of patients, nurses, radiographers, and other clients in intensive care units. Data collection tool included a questionnaire and a checklist of 31 principles of radiation protection. Results: The overall level of observance of radiation protection principles in intensive care units was at an appropriate level (94.7%) in 36 radiographies. The highest and lowest levels of principle observance of radiographers were in respect to themselves (94.7%) and nurses in the intensive care units and other clients (26.3%), respectively. Conclusion: According to results in this study, radiation protection principles observance by radiographers during portable radiography examinations respect of themselves is appropriate but respect of other nurses is not satisfactory. It seems that it can be improved to 100% of the optimum level by equipping intensive care units to protective equipment, setting some obligations to use them, and controlling and continuous monitoring of protective measures of radiographers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovery of x-ray and using of it for medical imaging have produced tremendous outcomes for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. More than 10 million diagnostic radiological procedures and 100,000 nuclear medicine exams are being performed daily around the world. According to the national commission on radiological protection and measurements (NCRP)-report 160, medical x-ray is contribute to approximately 95% of all radiological examinations that is responsible for 74% of the collective dose to the US population. Despite of unique benefits of ionizing radiations, in the field of radiation protection, they are associated with potential risks such as cancer and genetically abnormalities. The cancer risk attributable to diagnostic radiology is estimated about 0.6% to 3%. It is estimated that the radiation dose from diagnostic x-ray procedures are annually responsible for 7,587 and 5,695 cases of radiation induced cancer in the population of Japan and US, respectively. Although the radiation dose associated with most radiological procedures are very low, but rapid increasing use of radiography procedures during two past decades have been concerned due to the cancer risk associated with ionizing radiations. On the base of linear no-threshold (LNT) model of dose-response curve, any level of exposure is dangerous. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the main target of ionizing radiation. For radiological exposure with low dose, the stochastic effects such as genetic damages and leukemia are concerned. According to the recommendations of the radiation protection regulatory organizations, radiological procedure must be done with respect to social and economic factors in which exposure of patient and population kept as low as reasonable and achievable. Hence, prescription of a radiological test is acceptable only when its advantages are higher than its damages. Optimizing the different parameters such as: collimating the primary beam field to the area of diagnostic interest, exposure conditions (high kVp and low mAs), projections, exposure time and shielding can reduce the patients' exposure besides the saving of image quality. Following the radiation protection guidelines can considerably decrease the exposure risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Increasing number of patients undergoing x-ray examinations has created a global concern due to the deleterious biological effects associated with x-ray exposure. Adherence to ionizing radiation protection principles could be of great benefit in decreasing these effects. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to survey radiation protection in diagnostic x-ray imaging in Iran using systematic review of published articles. Materials and methods: Without any time limitation, some databases including SID, Magiran, IranMedex, Irandoc, Google-Scholar, Medlin, Embase and PubMed were searched. A total of 122 articles was obtained during the primary research. After elimination of duplicate and irrelevant articles, 39 articles (published in 1997 to 2015) were selected for final review. Results: The researches were performed in conventional radiology centers (n=24), dental radiography (n= 8), nuclear medicine (n=2), mammography (n= 1), computed tomography (n=1), dental radiography and radiology (n= 1), and total diagnostic X-ray departments (n= 2). Totally, 874 diagnostic centers and 1677 radiographers were studied. These studies revealed undesirable level of radiation protection regarding the use of shielding tools for patients, radiation collimation, use of film bag in dental radiography, and quality control programs. But, environmental radiation doses and the use of film bag in radiology centers were found to be in appropriate level. Conclusion: Despite increasing application of x-ray in medical diagnosis, radiation protection did not considerably change in Iran. So a national strategic program on radiation protection seems to be necessary. Such programs must be developed by ministry of health and radiation protection affairs of national atomic energy organization and its administration must be monitored permanently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objectives: Although ionizing radiation is effective in the diagnosis of illnesses, it is dangerous from the perspective of protection for patients and radiographers working in radiology sections. Therefore, knowledge, understanding, and application of radiation protection can play an important role. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the radiation protection principles in radiation workers in medical imaging centers and hospitals in Fasa, Fars, Iran. Materials & Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional one among all 50 radiation workers employed in radiology departments of this city. A questionnaire was the means of evaluation which contained demographic information and questions about the knowledge, attitude, and practice of radiology staff regarding the radiation protection. All of the completed questionnaires were analyzed, using SPSS19 software. Results: Radiographers' participation rate was 100%, and the mean score of knowledge, attitude, and practice of radiation workers in the field of radiation protection was 42.36, 62.4, and 48.54, respectively. Depending on the degree of their knowledge, there was no statistically significant difference between the radiographers' age, gender, and work experience, and the relationship between the following factors was not substantial. Conclusion: The results showed that by increasing the level of education, the awareness of radiation workers increases, too. To raise awareness of radiation protection for radiation workers, it is better to hold training courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]