Radiation Safety Protocols for Fluoroscopy: What are X-Rays? (CE)

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X-rays have revolutionized medicine and enabled us to diagnose and help patients that would not have been possible without them. X-rays can cause acute harm, cancer and birth defects if not administered correctly and that is why practitioners must understand and manage patient dose and scattered radiation to insure overall safety. In this first episode of the 8-episode series Radiation Safety Protocols for Fluoroscopy we will talk about what X-rays are and how they get produced. We will learn about the X-ray tube and the other components.

Outline:

• Discovery of X-Rays
• Properties of Ionizing Radiation
• X-ray Interaction & Attenuation
• X-ray Production

After this talk the learner should be able to:

• Explain how frequency and wavelength are related
• Define the difference between ionizing and nonionizing radiation
• Identify the components of an x-ray Tube
• Summarize what kVp and mA actually mean, and how they are useful

This course is intended for:

This course is designed for physicians and healthcare professionals performing fluoroscopically guided procedures in the cardiac and interventional suite. It is designed to enhance understanding of radiation as a tool that must be managed to protect staff and patients in the use of fluoroscopic equipment. You will learn the biological effects of x-ray radiation and principles of radiation protection. You will improve your understanding of operation and principles of fluoroscopic equipment including exposure (air kerma) outputs, high level control options, dose reduction techniques and procedures for recording data.