X-Ray Aprons a New Way to Protect Against Radiation

X-ray aprons are an important part of any doctor’s wardrobe. Doctor’s that perform surgeries are constantly surrounded by large amounts of radiation. Surgeons rely heavily on the images that x-rays allow them to see. However, taking these x-rays can be extremely harmful to the physician’s health. The patients do not have to be nearly as cautious as the physicians because they are not surrounded by radiation as frequently as the surgeons.



One of the best ways for physicians to protect themselves from this radiation is to wear an x-ray apron. These aprons used to be traditionally only made out of lead, however newer alloys are being manufactured that are equally as protective. There are significant downsides to wearing x-ray aprons made of lead.



Lead while it is a great element for protecting against radiation it is extremely heavy. This can really pose a problem for physicians because in some cases they must wear these aprons for long spans of time. Lead has a very high density which why it is able to protect against x-rays so well. Unfortunately its dense nature also makes it very difficult to wear due to its weight. Physicians who have been wearing lead aprons for many years are now developing back problems from having the excessive weight on their bodies for extended periods of time.



Doctors have begun to demand a better solution to radiation protection. While they know that x-ray aprons are a necessity to their work they have asked for a more ergonomically feasible solution to this problem. New technologies have come to light to help these physicians in during these long procedures. New x-ray aprons have begun development from several manufactures that are significantly lighter than their lead counterparts.

These new aprons contain other protective agents to shield from harmful radiation. These new alloys are significantly lighter than the traditional lead x-ray apron. While they are lighter they do protect from radiation at the same rate and in some cases can actually protect better than the old lead aprons. Old aprons that are made of lead should be replaced by these ergonomically suitable substitutes. Doctors are taking on unnecessary risks if they continue to use their old lead x-ray aprons. Upgrading to a new x-ray apron is highly recommended to most surgeons that are wearing the apron for a long period of time. However, there are also concerns for disposal of the old lead aprons since they cannot be simply disposed of in the trash.



Physicians should always dispose of old lead x-ray aprons properly by sending them to a recycling plant. It is vital that doctors take this precaution when getting rid of their old apron because of the contamination factor of lead. This is just another benefit of the newer x-ray aprons. Since they are not made from harmful materials themselves, such as lead, they do not need special disposal procedures. These new elements are not harmful to the environment and will not contaminate areas liked lead will. Physicians should make the switch to a new x-ray apron that is not made from lead if they haven’t already, for both their sake and the environments.



About the Author: Stephen Is CEO of Medical Equipment Today a website updating physicians of the latest medical equipment or more information on x-ray aprons



Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=274597&ca=Medical+Business

Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic Testing (UT) uses high frequency sound energy to conduct examinations and make measurements. Ultrasonic inspection can be used for flaw detection/evaluation, dimensional measurements, material characterization, and more. To illustrate the general inspection principle, a typical pulse/echo inspection configuration as illustrated below will be used.

A typical UT inspection system consists of several functional units, such as the pulser/receiver, transducer, and display devices. A pulser/receiver is an electronic device that can produce high voltage electrical pulses. Driven by the pulser, the transducer generates high frequency ultrasonic energy. The sound energy is introduced and propagates through the materials in the form of waves. When there is a discontinuity (such as a crack) in the wave path, part of the energy will be reflected back from the flaw surface. The reflected wave signal is transformed into an electrical signal by the transducer and is displayed on a screen. In the applet below, the reflected signal strength is displayed versus the time from signal generation to when a echo was received. Signal travel time can be directly related to the distance that the signal traveled. From the signal, information about the reflector location, size, orientation and other features can sometimes be gained.

Ultrasonic Inspection is a very useful and versatile NDT method. Some of the advantages of ultrasonic inspection that are often cited include:

• It is sensitive to both surface and subsurface discontinuities.
• The depth of penetration for flaw detection or measurement is superior to other NDT methods.
• Only single-sided access is needed when the pulse-echo technique is used.
• It is highly accurate in determining reflector position and estimating size and shape.
• Minimal part preparation is required.
• Electronic equipment provides instantaneous results.
• Detailed images can be produced with automated systems.
• It has other uses, such as thickness measurement, in addition to flaw detection.

As with all NDT methods, ultrasonic inspection also has its limitations, which include:

• Surface must be accessible to transmit ultrasound.
• Skill and training is more extensive than with some other methods.
• It normally requires a coupling medium to promote the transfer of sound energy into the test specimen.
• Materials that are rough, irregular in shape, very small, exceptionally thin or not homogeneous are difficult to inspect.
• Cast iron and other coarse grained materials are difficult to inspect due to low sound transmission and high signal noise.
• Linear defects oriented parallel to the sound beam may go undetected.
• Reference standards are required for both equipment calibration and the characterization of flaws.

The above introduction provides a simplified introduction to the NDT method of ultrasonic testing. However, to effectively perform an inspection using ultrasonics, much more about the method needs to be known. The following pages present information on the science involved in ultrasonic inspection, the equipment that is commonly used, some of the measurement techniques used, as well as other information.