HPS masthead
What's New?
. Fukushima Decontamination Report
. CRCPD & CDC Grants for Volunteer Corps
. America's Nuclear Future
. February Newsletter
. Boice Nominated President of NCRP
. February Journal
. February ORS
. Schauer Given the Butterfly Award from Image Gently
. Kase President's Report to IRPA
. IRPA13 Accepting Posters
Upcoming Events
. HPS Midyear - Issues in Waste Management
5-8 February 2012
Dallas, Texas
. NRC Regulatory Information Conference
NRC Regulatory Information Conference
13-15 March 2012
Rockville, Maryland
. NCRP Annual Meeting
12-13 March 2012
Washington, DC
. James E. Turner Memorial Symposium
Call for Abstracts
18-19 April 2012
Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Pollard Auditorium, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
. IRPA13
13-18 May 2012
Glasgow, Scotland
. Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA) Annual Meeting
27-30 May 2012
Halifax, Nova Scotia
. ACS Undergrad Summer Schools
10 June- 20 July 2012
. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Meeting Webcasts
February 2012
Bethesda, Maryland
09 February 2012

Answer to Question #6406 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Medical and Dental Equipment/Shielding — Shielding

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Q
Should x-ray entrance doors be completely sealed? The double doors to one of our x-ray rooms has a gap down the middle. What are the risks, if any, if x rays are leaked?
A

Yes, x-ray entrance doors should be completely sealed as far as possible. Imagine the x-ray source to be a lightbulb and the shielding to be a light-tight box. If the lightbulb is enclosed in a light-tight box, no light can be seen outside the box. If a slit is made in one side of the box, then the light can be seen outside. As the dimensions of the slit are increased, more light is seen outside.

Depending upon where the x-ray source is located in the room, direct radiation or scattered radiation can stream out of the door, thus one risks having x-ray dose rates outside the gap that may exceed design and regulatory limits. The problem worsens as the width of the gap increases. I would suggest that the doors be fitted with overlapping lead or steel to mitigate this problem.

All shielding installations (including coverage over door gaps) should be surveyed by a qualified radiation expert to verify that they meet the shielding design plan.

Nisy E. Ipe, PhD, CHP
 

Answer posted on 22 June 2007. The information and material posted on this website is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Website. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.
image
image
Home Affiliates Ask the Experts Radiation Terms Employment Meetings