Evaluation of the frequency and accuracy of gonad shield placement in patients undergoing pelvic radiography

mansour zabihzadeh

doi:10.15392/bjrs.v4i1.189

Authors

mansour zabihzadeh 1. Assistant Professor (PhD), Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. 2. Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v4i1.189

Keywords:

Gonad shielding, pelvic radiography, Radiation exposure

Abstract

Gonad shielding has been advocated to reduce radiation exposure in patients undergoing pelvic radiography. The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency and accuracy of gonad shield placement in patients undergoing pelvic radiography. A retrospective study was performed on 1230 anteroposterior (AP) pelvic radiographs of 939 children under 16 years old. All the radiographs were reviewed to determine the frequency of gonad shielding and to evaluate whether gonad shields were correctly positioned when they are used. The gonad shield was present in 82 radiographs (30 girls and 52 boys) and was completely disregarded in 1148 radiographs. From 82 images which shield was present, the gonad shields adequately positioned in 28 radiographs (3 girls and 25 boys) and in the remaining 54 radiographs, the shield did not adequately protected the gonads due to incorrect placement of the shield. The inaccuracy placement and absence of gonad shields were more common in girls than boys (P-value < 0.05). More care should be taken to correctly positioning of the gonad shields in boys and its usage should be encouraged. However, the practice of ovarian shielding is not an effective way to reduce radiation exposure in girls undergoing pelvis radiography.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

mansour zabihzadeh, 1. Assistant Professor (PhD), Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. 2. Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Department of Medical Physics & Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology;
Assistant Professor (PhD).

References

Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP publication 103. Ann ICRP 2007;37(2-4(.

Sikand M, Stinchcombe S, Livesley P. Study on the use of gonadal protection shields during paediatric pelvic X-rays. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 2003;85(6):422–5.

Warlow T, Walker-Birch P, Cosson P. Gonad shielding in paediatric pelvic radiography: Effectiveness and practice. Radiography. 2014;20(3):178-82.

Dowd SB, Tilson ER. Practical radiation protection and applied radiobiology. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders: WB Saunders; 1999.

Doolan A, Brennan PC, Rainford LA, Healy J. Gonad protection for the antero-posterior projection of the pelvis in diagnostic radiography in Dublin hospitals. Radiography. 2004;10(1):15-21.

Gul A, Zafar M, Maffulli N. Gonadal shields in pelvic radiographs in pediatric patients. Bulletin-hospital for joint diseases New York. 2005;63(1/2):13-4.

MacKay M, Hancy C, Crowe A, D'Rozario R, Ng C. Attitudes of medical imaging technologists on use of gonad shielding in general radiography. The Radiographer. 2012;59(2):35-9.

Frantzen MJ, Robben S, Postma AA, Zoetelief J, Wildberger JE, Kemerink GJ. Gonad shielding in paediatric pelvic radiography: disadvantages prevail over benefit. Insights into imaging. 2012;3(1):23-32.

Goodman TR, Amurao M. Medical imaging radiation safety for the female patient: rationale and implementation. Radiographics. 2012;32(6):1829-37.

Kenny N, Hill J. Gonad protection in young orthopaedic patients. BMJ. 1992;304(6839):1411-3.

Silva C, Silva P, Ventura SMR. The use and relevance of gonad protection shields in children during hips radiography. 2010:1-8.

Liakos P, Schoenecker PL, Lyons D, Gordon JE. Evaluation of the efficacy of pelvic shielding in preadolescent girls. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. 2001;21(4):433-5.

Wainwright A. Shielding reproductive organs of orthopaedic patients during pelvic radiography. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 2000;82(5):318-21.

Gürsu S, Gürsu T, Camurcu Y, Yıldırım T, Gürsu A, Şahin V. [Efficacy of gonadal shielding in pediatric pelvis X-rays]. Eklem hastaliklari ve cerrahisi= Joint diseases & related surgery. 2012;24(2):87-90.

Fawcett S, Gomez A, Barter S, Ditchfield M, Set P. More harm than good? The anatomy of misguided shielding of the ovaries. The British Journal of Radiology. 2014;85(2012):442-7.

Fawcett SL, Barter SJ. The use of gonad shielding in paediatric hip and pelvis radiographs. The British Journal of Radiology. 2009;82(977):363-70.

Bardo DM, Black M, Schenk K, Zaritzky MF. Location of the ovaries in girls from newborn to 18 years of age: reconsidering ovarian shielding. Pediatric radiology. 2009;39(3):253-9.

McCarty M, Waugh R, McCallum H, Montgomery RJ, Aszkenasy OM. Paediatric pelvic imaging: improvement in gonad shield placement by multidisciplinary audit. Pediatric radiology. 2001;31(9):646-9.