Radiography is essential for veterinary practice as it allows understanding and diagnosis of various health problems and how to treat them. Following these benefits, however, there are hazard factors that are correlated with radiation danger, which all veterinary specialists should take sincerely.
Veterinary technicians are particularly at risk because they are usually responsible for taking radiographs or X-rays of patients. You have to position the animal carefully to get an accurate picture and often give the patient the twists and turns to get the right angle. You can also look for the best veterinary practices through various online sources.
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Effective radiation protection requires commitment from veterinarians and veterinary technicians as well as other employees working around the radiology equipment.
Here are some ways that should be used to reduce the radiation exposure in veterinary practice:
Reduce the dosage on the ALARA principle
Steps can be taken to ensure that the dosage is as low as possible. The ALARA principle (as low as possible) aims to reduce the radiation dose in the workplace through practical and cost-effective measures. To keep doses as low as possible, veterinary staff must follow these simple safety principles:
Time: Use the shortest possible exposure time, limit the time in X-ray packs, and avoid repetition using your engineering chart.
Distance: Stay away from radiation sources as far as possible and use sedatives to allow the use of sandbags and other handcuffs, as well as the hands-free method.
Shielding: Use absorbent material, such as a lead apron, gloves, and thyroid protector, as well as a permanent shield to catch X-rays.
Consider low-dose digital images
One way to reduce radiation is to replace old film-based X-ray machines with digital radiography systems. Compared to conventional x-ray devices, digital imaging produces sharper images with higher resolution and lower radiation exposure.
