Important Note about Children
For the safety of your children please arrange to leave them at home, or bring someone to watch them in the waiting room while you go for your x-ray.
Discontinuation of gonadal and fetal lead shields
Valley Medical Imaging is discontinuing the routine use of lead shields.
Medical scientific experts including medical physicists, radiologists and radiation technologists have recently concluded that lead shields placed on the patient during diagnostic medical imaging, a common practice for more than 70 years, is no longer necessary.
What changed?
Use of lead shields to protect the gonads (male and female reproductive organs) and unborn fetuses from radiation exposure was first introduced in the 1950's when the scientific understanding between radiation exposure and health effects was limited. This practice was implemented due to lack of scientific knowledge regarding the long-term effects of ionizing radiation to the reproductive organs, fetus, and future progeny.
Over the last 70 years x-ray technology has improved. Today, modern x-ray systems are highly efficient compared to plain film systems used in the past using less radiation to form the image or picture. In addition, modern x-ray systems have embedded technology that can tailor the radiation required to the patient size. Finally, new scientific evidence has shown suggest radiation exposure from routine diagnostic x-ray exams poses no adverse long-term effect to the reproductive organs, cells, a fetus or progeny.
In the past 70 years, the following has changed:
- Scientific evidence has shown negligible, if any, link between low levels of x-ray radiation exposure and biological effects to the fetus or future progeny (offspring, or heritable effects).
- Technological advancements have led to lower radiation requirements per radiograph (the x-ray picture).
- Modern x-ray systems have a feature called "Automatic Exposure Control or "AEC." This AEC technology ensures the radiation reaching the image detector to form the x-ray picture is correct using the lowest dose possible to create the best image.
- Lead shields, in a very small number of cases, may increase radiation exposure if the lead shield is not placed correctly or moves into the radiation field after placement. This is because the AEC technology terminates radiation exposure when the detector has received sufficient radiation to form a diagnostic image. Incorrect placement of the lead shield may lead to a malfunction with AEC technology, potentially increasing patient dose.
Patients can be confident that Valley Medical Imaging follows the ALARA principle (As Low As Reasonably Achievable). This means Medical Radiation Technologists (MRTs) and Radiologists, use the lowest amount of radiation necessary, to produce diagnostic quality images.
Find more information on the role of patient gonadal and fetal shielding in Radiology.
Please note that due to staff allergies our clinics are PERFUME-FREE FACILITIES. Thank you.