Who should be protected from radiation exposure when a patient is being assisted for imaging?

• A. The patient
• B. The radiology staff only
• C. The person holding the patient
• D. No one

Answer: (C)

When imaging, the priority is to keep exposure as low as reasonably achievable for anyone in the room who is not the intended subject of the examination. The person who is physically holding the patient is most at risk from scatter radiation because they are closest to the patient and near the paths where scattered photons originate. Because of that, they should be protected with shielding and, whenever possible, replaced by immobilization devices or other aides to minimize the need for manual holding. Use lead aprons and thyroid shields, maximize distance from the primary beam, and keep exposure times short. While the patient does receive the intended dose during imaging, the focus here is on protecting those who are non-patients assisting the procedure. The other options don’t fit as well because they either exclude someone who is clearly at risk or imply no protection is needed at all.