In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, a German physicist, was in his dimly lit laboratory, surrounded by strange glass tubes, electric currents, and the eerie hum of energy flowing through his experiments. That night, he was studying cathode rays, a form of invisible light.
But something weird happened. Even though his experiment was enclosed in a thick, black cardboard box, a fluorescent green glow flickered across the room. Röntgen stared at the glow in disbelief; it was coming from a chemically coated screen he had not even touched! What on earth was causing this light? He started placing random objects between the strange glow and the screen: books, wood, metal, but nothing completely blocked it. Then, in a moment of wild curiosity, he put his own hand in front of the glow.
His jaw dropped! There, staring back at him, was the ghostly image of his own bones.
He had just accidentally discovered X-rays, a form of radiation that could pass through human flesh but not through dense materials like bones and metal. The invisible had just become visible. Within months, doctors began to use X-rays in medicine, revolutionizing the diagnosis of injuries and diseases. No longer did surgeons need to guess what was inside the body; they could see it. The medical world was forever changed, thanks to a scientist who inadvertently left the lights on.
Question: Radiation Safety
A nurse is educating a group of student nurses about radiation safety precautions during X-ray imaging. Which of the following statements should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.)
A) “Lead aprons should be used to shield radiosensitive organs.”
B) “Patients should be encouraged to take multiple deep breaths during the exposure to enhance image clarity.”
C) “Pregnant women should avoid unnecessary X-rays, especially in the first trimester.”
D) “Wearing a dosimeter badge helps healthcare workers track their radiation exposure over time.”
E) “X-rays do not emit ionizing radiation and are completely harmless for patients.”
Correct Answers: A, C, and D
Rationale:
- A) CORRECT: Lead aprons protect radiosensitive organs like the reproductive organs, thyroid, and bone marrow from unnecessary radiation exposure.
- B) INCORRECT: Patients should hold their breath briefly during the X-ray, not take multiple deep breaths, to reduce motion artifacts and improve image clarity.
- C) CORRECT: Pregnant women, especially in the first trimester, should avoid X-rays unless absolutely necessary due to the risk of fetal radiation exposure.
- D) CORRECT: Dosimeter badges help healthcare workers track their cumulative radiation exposure over time to stay within safe limits.
- E) INCORRECT: X-rays DO emit ionizing radiation, which can cause cellular damage if exposure is excessive or uncontrolled.
Thoms, H. (1934). Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen and the Early History of the Roentgen Rays [Review of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen and the Early History of the Roentgen Rays]. The Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine, 6(4), 482-482. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2606561/