Lowering radiation exposure in your veterinary practice

Radiography is vital to the best practice of veterinary medicine because it enables the understanding and diagnosis of—and informs the treatment of—a variety of health issues. Accompanying these benefits, however, are risk factors associated with radiation exposure, which every veterinary professional should take seriously.

Veterinary technicians are particularly at risk, as they are typically responsible for capturing X-ray images, or radiographs, of patients. They need to carefully position the animal to obtain an accurate image, often needing to secure a squirming patient to get the correct angle. Lead gloves don’t protect the technician from the primary X-ray beam; they only protect from scatter radiation at the edges of the image.1 Even when an animal is sedated and positioning devices are used, X-rays still scatter in all directions.2

Effective radiation safety requires a commitment from veterinarians and veterinary technicians, as well as any other personnel who work in proximity to radiology equipment.

Full story can be found on Veterinary Practice News.