Vetnews | Desember 2024 14 « BACK TO CONTENTS Thirty-two participants stated whether their clinic has radiation safety protocols (Fig. 3) and 31 whether their protocols (if provided) were readily accessible (Fig. 4). Where protocols existed (59%, n = 19), they appeared to be generally readily accessible (58%, n = 18). Twenty-nine participants reported how often they use a personal radiation dosemeter during portable equine X-rays (Fig. 5). 41% (n = 12) of respondents indicated that they wore a monitor during every X-ray. Twenty-six participants reported the types of personal dosemeters that they use in their practice (Fig. 6). Some reported using multiple different types of dosemonitoring devices in their practice, while 27% (n = 7) did not know what type was used. 84% (n = 16) of those who reported that they wear a personal dosemeter reported wearing it at their waist or chest beneath a lead apron. 11% (n = 2) reported wearing their personal dosemeter at their waist or chest, not under their lead apron. One respondent reported. As some questions that they wear a personal dosemeter only at their thyroid. Twenty-six participants provided a response when asked how often they would repeat a portable X-ray on a horse (Fig. 7). Four respondents (15%) indicated that this question was not applicable to them. 23% (n = 5)— nearly a quarter—of the 22 remaining respondents stated that they repeat an image “most of the time”. The reasons selected for repeating portable X-rays are shown in Fig. 8. Participants were allowed to select multiple reasons for repeating. The single most common cause of repeat exposures, reported by 73% (n = 19) of 26 respondents to this question, was movement unsharpness. Positioning errors of the image receptor, X-ray tube, and anatomy of the horse were also major factors for repeating X-rays. 65% (n = 17) of respondents reported that they would sometimes sedate the horse during a portable X-ray. 23% (n = 6) would always sedate the horse for the X-ray. 12% (n = 3) of respondents indicated that the question was not applicable to them. Twenty six respondents reported the methods of restraint they use on the horse during portable X-rays, displayed in Fig. 9. The most common method of restraining the horse was to have someone hold the horse on a lead rope, at 85% (n = 22). Participants were permitted to select multiple methods. The roles performed by each of the personnel involved in a portable equine X-ray examination are displayed in Table 1. The results for the ‘operator’ and ‘exposer’ columns are extremely similar. This is to be expected, as these roles are often performed by the same person. The radiation protection equipment worn by each of the roles involved in the portable x-ray is displayed in Table 2. Table 3 demonstrates the relationship between respondent caseload and knowledge of dosemeter types. Six of the seven (86%) respondents who stated that they did not know what type of personal radiation dosemeter they used reported performing <10 portable X-rays per week. Four survey respondents had undergone some form of additional radiation safety training. All four of these participants reported wearing a personal dosemeter for every X-ray. In comparison, only 8 (32%) veterinary practitioners who have not completed additional training in radiation safety stated that they wore a dosemeterfor every X-ray (Table 4). Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 6 Figure 5 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9
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