Which statement best describes the appropriate use of patient shielding during imaging procedures?

• A. Shielding should be used on all patients during every procedure.
• B. Shielding should be avoided entirely to maximize image quality.
• C. Shielding should be used to shield the clinician's body from scatter, regardless of imaging needs.
• D. Shielding should be used when it does not interfere with essential imaging and dose to the patient is minimized.

Answer: (D)

Shielding is used to reduce radiation dose to sensitive organs, but only when it does not interfere with obtaining a diagnostic image. The best practice is to apply shielding on the patient when it will minimize dose to exposed tissues and will not compromise image quality or require repeating the exam. If shielding would obscure anatomy, block the beam, or degrade the image, it should be avoided. Shielding the clinician's body from scatter is not the primary goal of patient shielding and is addressed by other protection measures such as barriers and distance. So, shielding should be used when it does not interfere with essential imaging and helps minimize the patient’s dose.