When protection the public, patients and the radiation technologists from radiation, shielding is one of the most important factors to consider. However shielding goes beyond just protecting the patient using gonadal shielding. Contractors and hospital staff have three sources of radiation that they must shield. These include scattered radiation from the patient, primary radiation for the x ray beam and leakage radiation from the x ray tube. All x ray tubes have some radiation leakage. On average, it is about 2-3mm of lead in the housing of the x ray tube.
Traditionally lead has been used as the element of choice when shielding against x-rays and gamma rays. This is because “lead is a soft, malleable, and corrosion-resistant material” (Jaquith,
Traditionally lead has been used as the element of choice when shielding against x-rays and gamma rays. This is because “lead is a soft, malleable, and corrosion-resistant material” (Jaquith,