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Answer to Question #3377 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"Category: Medical and Dental Equipment/Shielding — Shielding The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field: Q
My question is regarding radiation shielding. In some hospital rooms where a patient is undergoing radiation treatment, there are transparent viewing windows between the room in which the patient is and an adjoining room where a doctor is present. This is so that the sight of the doctor reassures the patient. I would very much like to know about the types of transparent materials that could possibly be used for this purpose, which enable sight to be possible and are also able to provide shielding from the radiation.
A
Based upon a review of vendor literature, most of the clear shielding used for viewing windows in x ray, CT, nuclear medicine, etc. is plastic that has lead mixed in uniformly. In the past, much of the clear shielding was made of glass in a similar manner. Glass or plastic do not provide sufficient shielding (in reasonable thickness) for x rays or gamma rays compared to lead. Since there is a need for a physician or a technologist to view the patient during an exam (both for safety and reassurance reasons), there must be something that will shield the operator and still allow viewing. When these products are manufactured, lead (probably in a very fine powder) is mixed in before the plastic is formed into windows. The presence of the lead in plastic typically allows protection equivalent to 0.5 to 3.0 mm of lead. Ken "Duke" Lovins, MS, CHP Reference: Cardinal Health, “Medical Imaging and Therapy Quality Assurance,” catalog, 2004. Editor’s Note: Information on Clear-Pb, which is the copyright name of one version of this product, can be found at the Pacific Northwest X-Ray Inc. Web site or the Supertech Web site.
Answer posted on 3 March 2004. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.
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