Most equipment used in healthcare centers produce harmful radiations affecting many medical staffs. A quality designed textile could assist in blocking these radiations from entering our body and causing harms (Akopian et al 1999). The current lead aprons available in the market have shown many problems. In some instances, workers complain of back pains due to the weight of these garments. In addition, the lead aprons used today have low level protection exposing workers to most radiations and have proven insufficient in providing the necessary protection exposing healthcare staff to radiation risks (United States Department for Labor 2003; Allianz Small Business Club 2000; Alagirusamy 2010). The availability of quality lead aprons that would ensure no radiation passes through the garment into the inner and outer skin layers would play a significant role in preventing occupation health hazards
Medical applications mostly use radiation in diagnosing patients. A response to radiation protection technology for healthcare workers should cater for many problems associated with X-rays exposure. The intensity of X-rays used in hospital labs are too high and even penetrate the normal laboratory garments used by physicians (Heron et al 2010). The utilization of protective medical textiles in the healthcare centers has an enormous potential of changing the healthcare provision and services for a large community (Rupp et al 2001). These would include those who suffer from chronic diseases, infants or pregnant women, and others with specific needs.
This research investigates the best advance textile technology that could protect healthcare staff and patients in Melbourne city hospital hospitals from harmful radiations exposure. The project describes the tests and methods necessary for assessing a radiation protection garment (material or textile) on the outer skin layer using lead aprons. The procedure will involve carrying out an intensive survey on the health industry, and determine how effective the selected healthcare centers are in using lead aprons. In addition, I will carry out a literature review on the previous researches that have attempted to use lead apron for radiation protection.
The project will be carried out using extensive research methods aiming at addressing the impact of using radiation protection textiles in healthcare centers. Textile radiology protection is a project that will ensure all workers and patients are protected from harmful radiations found in the healthcare centers. The research will focus on protective medical textiles within the textile industry that have the potential of preventing radiations within the healthcare sector.
The results will be distributed to textile manufacturer with recommendations on the best materials to use for radiology garments. On the other hand, the outcome from the research will help patients from affects by these radiations. Moreover, the research outcomes will be released to the whole medical and atomic energy sector to create awareness to other people exposed to harmful radiations like, infants and pregnant women.
Brief description
Brief summary of literature review
The literature review will focus on the current applications used for radiology protection in the market, and the previous research works on the same area focusing on the main issues that they never tackled. After carrying out the previous research on the topic of radiology protection, the research will make use of the ideas generated to develop objectives and goals for the program.
Radiation protection of medical staff
Medical staffs are exposed to a lot of harmful radiations in their day-to-day activities. Various methods have been proposed to protect the staff against these radiations. The increased use of X-ray facilities in most hospitals forms the most common exposure to radiation. The advancement in technology has introduced new ways of preventing radiations from reaching the individual’s body. A lot of procedures are put in place to ensure that medical staffs handling X-ray machine have minimum exposure to the radiations. In addition, the previous studies used different ways of determining the level of exposure in order to come up with perfect protective measures. In ensuring effective radiation protection of medical staff, many healthcare centers introduced radiation protection programs (RPP). The program teaches the staff about policies, structures, procedures, and organizational arrangements necessary for staff protection. In addition, various trainings are available for hospital staff for the implementation of radiation protection program (Heron et al 2010; 20-23).
Patent US5968854 - EMI shielding fabric and fabric articles made there from
This patent explains the design electromagnetic shielding fabric. This garment made from synthetic fiber yarns coated with silver has been very effective in preventing radiation exposure to medical staff. Different materials are used in developing the textile, which is of an average weight. The provision of EMI shielding fabric creates a higher capacity of protecting users from dangerous radiations. The construction of EMI shielding fabric garments has grown very large and many medical centers have been using these designs (Rupp et al 2001). These designs, however do not address the aspect of durability, cost of production, and the intensity of radiation they can withstand.
How protective are the lead aprons we use against ionizing radiation?
Lead aprons are very common in many medical centers because physicians prefer them to other radiation protection garments. According to Oyar and Kislalioglu (2012), less than 20% of the manufactured garments proof to be of good quality. In addition, the internal structure of these garments contains materials that allow electromagnetic radiations to pass through. Based on the level of protection offered by these garments, a thorough survey requires to be carried out. Moreover, the manufactures should define other means of strengthening the resistance of materials used in making the lead aprons (Hartmann et al 2000; Health Physics office 2012).
Emission of fluorescent x-radiation from non-lead based shielding materials of protective clothing: a radiobiological problem?
Apart from lead, different textile manufacturing materials are used in making radiation protection garments. These materials have varying strengths, and their effectiveness depends on the type of material. The research on effectiveness of these materials used dysenteric frequency of human beings produced by blood. In the past medical staff used lead-free materials in protecting from harmful radiations. According to Jamie and Tomas (2012), materials posed a lot of problems to the doctors and physicians based on biological quantities measures. The effective of these materials was tested using blood cells of the most active doctors. From the experiments, non-lead protective materials provide little resistance to electromagnetic radiation penetration to human body. However, use of shielding materials like tin and antimony reduces the radiation protection property of these materials. Shielding using fluorescent blocking layers helps in increasing the effects (Schmid 2012).
X-Ray Protective Clothing: Does DIN 6857-1 Allow an Objective Comparison Between Lead-Free and Lead-Composite Materials?
The lead equivalent for the protective clothing is established by DIN 6857-1 test. Lead-free materials have less resistance to radiation entry compared to lead-composite materials. The required protective efficiency between these two materials occurs at restricted tube-voltage range. The DIN 6857-1 allows a bigger objective comparison between the two garments calling for a more sophisticated material like DIN EN 61331-3 with the capability of accounting for secondary radiations (Elder, Schlattl and Hoeschen 2010).
Research questions
The research will be guided by the following questions:
1. Are people aware of the risks associated with exposure to different radiations?
2. What measures have the healthcare workers taken to ensure full protection from radiations?
3. What is the level of exposure to radiations for patients, workers, and the community?
4. What type of textile do these people use to protect themselves from radiations? How effective are they?
5. Are the existing textile products (uniforms) available in the market comfortable for the users (staff and patients)?
Objectives
The main objective for the research is to develop an effective textile material for radiology protection in healthcare centers. The specific objectives are:
1) To investigate current protection clothing trend in hospitals.
2) To determine the major problems associated with the current lead aprons available in the market.
3) To develop advance protective clothing using high performance textile or garment design.
4) To find /establish/evaluate /estimated the best comfortable materials for making radiology protecting garments.
Methods & methodology
Surveys will be conducted on the selected healthcare centers where medical staff will be required to respond to some questions. Questionnaires will be administered to the respondents and these will serve as the major tools for data collection throughout the research. Because the health workers are the most exposed to radiation risks, the proposed textiles will be first tested on 20 volunteers whose progress will be analyzed on daily basis. The research will conduct a survey on the type of garments that the target group uses, and compare them with those introduced in the program. The sampling procedure administered will involve using the available resources in order to gather full information regarding the effectiveness of the proposed program.
In addition, sample lead aprons will be used to collect data. The prototypes will be made of knitted woven structures covered with lead composites. The target group will be required to put on these garments while carrying out X-ray applications. Radiations sensing of components will be used to record the amount of radiation received by an individual. This will be analyzed by taking blood samples of the participating staff after every procedure.
The project will be of great advantage to the medical industry. Undertaking the program to introduce textiles fro radiation prevention has many advantages to people who are exposed to different types of radiations on the daily basis. On the other hand, textile manufacturers should make use of the current technology, and produce garments that protect the user from any type of harmful radiation. The results from the research will contribute a lot in saving many lives caused by exposure to dangerous radiations. These radiations cause many health problems to the affected individuals and their generations. The prototypes will be made or developed of knitted or woven structure covered with lead composites or may use new advance design structure to make the fabric more effective for protective. In addition, the results will be distributed to textile manufacturers with recommendations on the best materials to use for radiology garments. Moreover, the outcomes will be released to the whole nation to create awareness to other people exposed to harmful radiations.
References list
Akopan et al. 1999, United States patent. 5,968,854.
Alagirusamy, R. 2010. Technical textile yarns industrial and medical applications. Boca Raton:
CRC Press
Allianz Small Business Club. 2000. Duty of Care under Occupation Health Safety. Allianz
Australia Insurance Limited. Retrieved from:
http://www.allianz.com.au/aalaus/aalaus.nsf/docs/C37769FF55C28DC6CA2578A1004510D6/$FILE/NSW+Duty+of+Care.pdf
Anald, S. C., Kennedy, J. K., and Rajendran, S. 2012, Medical Textiles and Biomaterials for
Healthcare, United Kingdom: Woodhead Publishing Limited
Asomerville. 2012, Radiation Protection Clothing. Retrieved from:
http://www.asomerville.ltd.uk/radiation-protection-clothing_1.html
Eder H, Schlattl H, and Hoeschen C. 2010. X-Ray Protective Clothing. 1995. Does DIN 6857-1
Allow an Objective Comparison Between Lead-Free and Lead-Composite Materials?. Bavarian Environmental Agency.
Heron, J., Padovani, R. Smith, I., and Czarwinski, R. 2010. “Radiation protection of medical
staff”, European journal of radiology, 76; 20.
Hartmann, W. D., Steilmann, K. and Ullsperger, A. 2000, High-Tech Fashion. Witten,
Germany: Heimdall Verlag,
Health Physics Office. 2012, Radiation Protection Guidance for Hospital Staff. Retrieved from:
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/researchlab/radlaser/Hospital_Guidance_document.pdf
Jamie V. T. and Tomas K. 2012, an Introduction to Radiation Protection in Medicine
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Reisman, J., Gienapp, A., & Stachwiak, S. 2004, A handbook of data collection
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Oyar, O. and Kislalioglu, A. 2012., “How protective are lead aprons we use against ionizing
radiations?”, Diagnostic and interventional radiology journal. 18; 150-151
Rupp J, et al. 2001, Textiles for protection against harmful ultraviolet radiation. International
Textiles Bulletin ;47 (6): 8 – 20.
Schmid, E., Panzer, W., Schlattl, H., and Eder, H. 2012., “Emission of fluorescent x-radiation
from non-lead based shielding materials of protective clothing: a radiobiological problem?” IOP Publishing.
United States Department for Labor. 2003, Occupation Safety and Administration (OSHA).
Retrieved from:
http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.html
