Keywords:
Education and training, Radiation safety, Equipment, Conventional radiography, Radioprotection / Radiation dose, Radiographers, Paediatric
Authors:
A. Maguire, K. Matthews; Dublin/IE
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2019/C-3096
Conclusion
The current study was undertaken to establish whether and how filtration is applied in paediatric radiography and what influences decisions about such beam filtration.
Without doubt,
a need for improvement in paediatric radiography regarding beam filtration in Ireland.
Since total filtration below the legal minimum of 2.5mm Al equivalent is reported by respondents further investigation is recommended to ensure that the safe minimum level of filtration of 2.5 mm Al equivalence is consistently applied across all departments that image paediatric patients.
However,
given the rigorous commissioning and ongoing quality assurance of X-ray equipment,
inaccurate knowledge of filtration levels from respondents is concluded.
While radiographers are aware of the dose reducing benefits of beam filtration for paediatric patients, filtration is not considered a responsibility of the radiographer. Education addressing best practice for beam filtration in digital paediatric radiography is required.
Optimisation opportunities are being lost in paediatric radiography through inattention to the potential of additional copper beam filtration.