Patient Shielding in Medical Imaging (2026)

Summary

This Commentary provides recommendations for the use of patient shielding in medical imaging, with the goal of improving consistency and quality in clinical care. Specifically, the Commentary addresses the effects of in-field and out-of-field shielding for various organs (lens of the eye, breast, thyroid, gonads, and fetus) for all x-ray-based imaging exams (dental x ray, radiography, fluoroscopy, mammography, and computed tomography).

NCRP Commentary No. 35, Patient Shielding in Medical Imaging, provides recommendations on the use of organ-specific patient shielding during x-ray based medical imaging examinations. These recommendations reflect core principles of radiation protection. Radiation protection in medical imaging is rooted in justification and optimization. This includes only performing exams that are clinically indicated, minimizing the need to repeat images, collimating the x-ray beam to the anatomy of interest, and ensuring that imaging is performed by an appropriately trained individual, while ensuring that image quality is adequate for the clinical task. This Commentary expands upon NCRP Statement No. 13 and examines the role of patient contact shielding in optimization of protection of patients. Recommendations are provided for: • patient shielding of the lens of the eye, thyroid, breast, fetus, and male and female gonads; •multiple x-ray based imaging modalities, including general radiography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT), mammography, and dental and maxillofacial imaging; • shields placed inside or outside the imaging field of view. The Commentary summarizes the effects of patient shielding on organ doses and image quality. It also describes how shielding interacts with modern medical imaging systems and with other radiation optimization methods. Recommendations are based on these considerations and current knowledge of radiation risk. The Commentary identifies potential barriers to clinical implementation of these recommendations and provides guidance to aid medical imaging facilities in developing facility-specific patient shielding guidelines. Importantly, the Commentary emphasizes the need for future re-evaluation of radiation protection methods as imaging technology and understanding of radiation risks evolve

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https://ncrponline.org/pubDetails/277