Safety Code 35: Safety Procedures for the Installation, Use and Control of X-ray Equipment in Large Medical Radiological Facilities

2008
ISBN: 978-1-100-10289-4
Cat. No.: H128-1/08-545E
HC Pub.: 4000

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Table of Contents

• Explanatory Notes
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Principal Objectives of the Safety Code
• Section A: Responsibilities and Protection
  • 1.0 Responsibility of Personnel
    • 1.1 Owner
    • 1.2 Responsible User
    • 1.3 X-ray Equipment Operator
    • 1.4 Medical Physicist/Radiation Safety Officer
    • 1.5 Referring Physician/Practitioner
    • 1.6 Information Systems Specialist
    • 1.7 Repair and Maintenance Personnel
  • 2.0 Procedures for Minimizing Radiation Exposure to Personnel
    • 2.1 General Requirements and Recommendations
    • 2.2 Requirements and Recommendations for Operation of Mobile Equipment
    • 2.3 Requirements and Recommendations for Operation of Radiographic Equipment
    • 2.4 Requirements and Recommendations for Operation of Radioscopic Equipment
      • 2.4.1 Requirements and Recommendations for Performing Angiography
  • 3.0 Procedures for Minimizing Radiation Exposure to Patients
    • 3.1 Guidelines for the Prescription of X-ray Examinations
    • 3.2 Guidelines for Radiological Examinations of Pregnant Women
    • 3.3 Guidelines for Carrying out X-ray Examinations
      • 3.3.1 General Requirements and Recommendations
      • 3.3.2 Requirements and Recommendations for Radiographic Procedures
      • 3.3.3 Requirements and Recommendations for Radioscopic Procedures
      • 3.3.4 Requirements and Recommendations for Angiography
      • 3.3.5 Requirements and Recommendations for Computed Tomography Procedures
    • 3.4 Guidelines for Reduction of Dose to Sensitive Tissues
    • 3.5 Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs)
      • 3.5.1 Introduction
      • 3.5.2 Application
      • 3.5.3 Recommended DRL Values
• Section B: Facility and Equipment Requirements
  • 1.0 Facility Requirements
    • 1.1 General Criteria
    • 1.2 Design and Plan of X-ray Facility
      • 1.2.1 Preparation of Facility Plan
      • 1.2.2 Considerations for Room Design and Layout
      • 1.2.3 Determination of Parameters Governing Structural Shielding Requirements
    • 1.3 Shielding Calculations
      • 1.3.1 Radiographic Films
      • 1.3.2 Radiographic X-Ray Equipment and Dedicated Chest Radiographic Equipment
      • 1.3.3 Radioscopic X-Ray Equipment and Angiographic X-Ray Equipment
      • 1.3.4 Computed Tomography Equipment
  • 2.0 Medical X-ray Equipment Requirements
    • 2.1 Regulatory Requirements for Medical X-ray Equipment
    • 2.2 Equipment Purchasing
      • 2.2.1 Needs Analysis
      • 2.2.2 Equipment Specifications
      • 2.2.3 Analysis of Vendor Quotation and the Purchase Contract
      • 2.2.4 Acceptance Testing
    • 2.3 Existing Medical X-ray Equipment
    • 2.4 Retrofitting with Computed Radiography (CR) and Digital Radiography (DR) Systems
    • 2.5 Equipment Specific Requirements
      • 2.5.1 General Requirements
      • 2.5.2 Radiographic Equipment Requirements
      • 2.5.3 Radioscopic Equipment Requirements
      • 2.5.4 Computed Tomography Equipment Requirements
      • 2.5.5 Dose and Image Quality Information for Computed Tomography Equipment
  • 3.0 Image Processing Systems
    • 3.1 Film-Based Systems
      • 3.1.1 X-ray Film
      • 3.1.2 Cassette and Screen
      • 3.1.3 Darkroom
      • 3.1.4 Film Processing
      • 3.1.5 Viewbox
    • 3.2 Digital Imaging Systems
      • 3.2.1 Computed Radiography Imaging Plates
      • 3.2.2 CR Cassette
      • 3.2.3 Electronic Display
      • 3.2.4 Picture Archiving and Communications System
      • 3.2.5 PACS Implementation
      • 3.2.6 Teleradiology
  • 4.0 Other Equipment
    • 4.1 Protective Equipment
    • 4.2 Test Equipment
  • 5.0 Radiation Protection Surveys
    • 5.1 General Procedures
    • 5.2 Survey Report
  • 6.0 Disposal of X-ray Equipment
• Section C: Quality Assurance Program
  • 1.0 Introduction
    • 1.1 Goals of the Quality Assurance Program
    • 1.2 Costs-Benefits of the Quality Assurance Program
      • 1.2.1 Costs of Quality Assurance Program
      • 1.2.2 Benefits of Quality Assurance Program
    • 1.3 Implementation of Quality Assurance Program
      • 1.3.1 Policies and Guidelines Development
      • 1.3.2 Establishment of Quality Control Procedures
      • 1.3.3 Establishment of Administrative Procedures
  • 2.0 Acceptance Testing
    • 2.1 Acceptance Testing Evaluation
  • 3.0 Quality Control Testing Procedures and Equipment
    • 3.1 Daily Quality Control Testing
      • 3.1.1 Quality Control Tests List
      • 3.1.2 Daily Quality Control Tests
      • 3.1.3 Daily Quality Control Test Equipment
    • 3.2 Weekly Quality Control Testing
      • 3.2.1 Quality Control Tests List
      • 3.2.2 Weekly Quality Control Tests
      • 3.2.3 Weekly Quality Control Test Equipment
    • 3.3 Monthly Quality Control Testing
      • 3.3.1 Quality Control Tests List
      • 3.3.2 Monthly Quality Control Tests
      • 3.3.3 Monthly Quality Control Tests Equipment
    • 3.4 Quarterly Quality Control Testing
      • 3.4.1 Quality Control Tests List
      • 3.4.2 Quarterly Quality Control Tests
      • 3.4.3 Quarterly Quality Control Tests Equipment
    • 3.5 Semi-Annual Quality Control Testing
      • 3.5.1 Quality Control Tests List
      • 3.5.2 Semi-Annual Quality Control Tests
      • 3.5.3 Semi-annual Quality Control Tests Equipment
    • 3.6 Annual Quality Control Testing
      • 3.6.1 Quality Control Tests List
      • 3.6.2 Annual Quality Control Tests
      • 3.6.3 Annual Quality Control Tests Equipment
• Appendix I: Dose Limits for Occupational Ionizing Radiation Exposures
• Appendix II: Shielding Information Guides
• Appendix III: NCRP #49 Methodology for Calculation of Shielding Requirements for Diagnostic X-ray Installations
• Appendix IV: Shielding Guides for Storage of Radiographic Film
• Appendix V: Federal/Provincial/Territorial Radiation Safety Agencies
• Appendix VI: Radiation Emitting Devices Regulations for Diagnostic X-ray Equipment
• Appendix VII: Facility Radiation Protection Checklist
• Appendix VIII: Radiation Measurement Units
• References