Usefulness of non-lead aprons in radiation protection for physicians performing interventional procedures

TLDR

Interventional radiology involves prolonged procedures with physicians positioned close to scattered radiation, making shielding—particularly protective aprons and lead drapes—essential for radiation protection. The study aimed to determine whether non‑lead aprons effectively protect physicians during IVR procedures. The authors compared the radiation‑shielding performance of commercially available lead and non‑lead aprons under diagnostic X‑ray exposure. The non‑lead and lead aprons performed similarly for scattered X‑rays at 60–120 kV, and the non‑lead aprons, weighing about 20 % less and being non‑toxic, are therefore more suitable for physicians.

Abstract

At present, interventional radiology (IVR) tends to involve long procedures (long radiation duration), and physicians are near to the source of scattered radiation. Hence, shielding is critical in protecting physicians from radiation. Protective aprons and additional lead-shielding devices, such as tableside lead drapes, are important means of protecting the physician from scattered radiation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether non-lead aprons are effective in protecting physicians from radiation during IVR procedures. In this study, the radiation protection effects of commercially available protective lead and non-lead aprons, when exposed to diagnostic X rays, are compared. The performance of these non-lead and lead aprons was similar for scattered X rays at tube voltages of 60-120 kV. Properly designed non-lead aprons are thus more suitable for physicians because they weigh approximately 20% less than the lead aprons, and are non-toxic.