X-Ray Certification Patient Protection 2

Question 1

Which of the following best describes the ALARA principle in radiography?

Accepted Answer

Keep radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable

Answer

ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) means minimizing patient dose while still obtaining diagnostic-quality images.

Question 2

A gonadal shield should be used when the gonads are within how many centimeters of the primary beam?

Accepted Answer

5 cm

Answer

Gonadal shielding is recommended when the gonads are within 5 cm of the primary x-ray beam.

Question 3

Which factor, when increased, reduces patient dose by requiring fewer photons to reach the detector?

Accepted Answer

kVp

Answer

Increasing kVp increases photon energy and penetrability, allowing the same image quality with less mAs and therefore lower patient dose.

Question 4

What is the primary purpose of beam collimation in patient protection?

Accepted Answer

Limit the x-ray field to only the area of clinical interest

Answer

Collimation restricts the x-ray beam to the anatomy of interest, reducing the volume of tissue irradiated and lowering patient dose.

Question 5

Which imaging modality uses no ionizing radiation and therefore poses no radiation risk to the patient?

Accepted Answer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer

MRI uses magnetic fields and radiofrequency waves, not ionizing radiation, so it carries no radiation risk.

X-Ray Certification Practice Test