Lead apron

A rubber coated lead apron protects organs from exposure to x-rays.

A lead apron or leaded apron is a type of protective clothing that acts as a radiation shield. It is constructed of a thin rubber exterior and an interior of lead in the shape of a hospital apron. The purpose of the lead apron is to reduce exposure of a hospital patient to x-rays to vital organs that are potentially exposed to ionizing radiation during medical imaging that uses x-rays (radiography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography).

## Specific anatomic regions

Protection of the reproductive organs with a lead apron is considered important because DNA changes to sperm or egg cells of the patient may pass on genetic defects to the offspring of the patient, causing serious and unnecessary hardship for child and parents.

The thyroid gland is especially vulnerable to x-ray exposure. Care should be taken to place a lead apron over the thyroid gland before taking dental radiographs.[1][2] Aprons used for dental imaging should include thyroid collars.

## See also

* Radiation shielding
* Instruments used in radiology
* Lead shielding
* Birth defects

## References

1. ↑ A Patient's Guide to Medical Imaging By Ronald Eisenberg, JD, MD, FACR, Alexander Margulis, MD
2. ↑ Current oral and maxillofacial imaging,Thomas F. Razmus, Gail F. Williamson, Page 107

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Radiation protection

Main articles|

* Background radiation
* Dosimetry
* Health physics
* Ionizing radiation
* Internal dosimetry
* Radioactive contamination
* Radioactive sources
* Radiobiology

Measurement
quantities & units|

* Absorbed dose
* Becquerel
* Committed dose
* Computed tomography dose index
* Counts per minute
* Effective dose
* Equivalent dose
* Gray
* Mean glandular dose
* Monitor unit
* Rad
* Roentgen
* Rem
* Sievert

Instruments and
measurement techniques|

* Airborne radioactive particulate monitoring
* Dosimeter
* Geiger counter
* Ion chamber
* Scintillation counter
* Proportional counter

* Radiation monitoring
* Semiconductor detector
* Survey meter
* Whole-body counting

Protection techniques|

* Lead shielding
* Glovebox
* Potassium iodide
* Radon mitigation
* Respirators

Organisations|

* Euratom
* HPS (USA)
* IAEA
* ICRU
* ICRP
* IRPA
* SRP (UK)
* UNSCEAR

Regulation|

* IRR (UK)
* NRC (USA)
* ONR (UK)
* Radiation Protection Convention, 1960

Radiation effects|

* Acute radiation syndrome
* Radiation-induced cancer

See also the categories Medical physics, Radiation effects, Radioactivity, Radiobiology, and Radiation protection

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