Page 19 - JRCERT Pulse Newsletters

JRCERT Position Statement on Gonadal
JRCERT
Organizational
Report
The 2020 JRCERT Organizational
Report is now available here.
The 2020 report, as well as
reports from previous years, are
also available on the JRCERT
website under the “About
JRCERT” tab. The
Organizational Report contains
information about the
organization, the Board of
Directors, JRCERT staff, and
JRCERT site visitors. The report
also contains aggregate data
about JRCERT-accredited
programs in radiography,
radiation therapy, medical
dosimetry, and magnetic
resonance. Data regarding the
number of students that pass
the credentialing exam, the
number of students finding
employment, the number of
students completing programs,
and the number of graduates
and enrollments is collected
from the Annual Reports.
Please take the opportunity to
read this report and contact the
JRCERT office if you should have
any questions.
4
Shielding in the Clinical Setting
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic
Technology (JRCERT) Standards for an Accredited
Educational Program in Radiography are designed to
promote academic excellence, patient safety, and
quality healthcare.
Standard Five - Objective 5.3 of the Standards requires
programs to assure students employ proper safety
practices. Programs achieve this by instructing students
in the utilization of imaging equipment, accessories,
optimal exposure factors, and proper patient positioning to minimize radiation exposure to
patients, selves, and others. These practices assure radiation exposures are kept as low as
reasonably achievable (ALARA).
Gonadal shielding has been a longstanding practice during radiography examinations in
1
instances where the clinical objectives of the examination are not compromised . Recent
2
research in the effectiveness of gonadal shielding during abdominal and pelvic radiography
has found, in most instances, that:
• Gonadal shielding does not contribute significantly to reducing patient risk from
radiation exposure;
• Gonadal shielding positioned improperly may have the unintentional consequence
of increasing patient exposure;
• Gonadal shielding positioned improperly may result in the loss of valuable diagnostic
examination results.
Based on the recent research pertaining to the use of gonadal shielding during abdominal and
pelvic radiography and the longstanding practice in radiography to only shield in instances in
which diagnostic quality will not be compromised, the JRCERT has concluded that routine use
of gonadal shielding for abdominopelvic radiography exams should not be standard practice
for clinical radiography students when the use of such could interfere with the diagnostic
quality of the exam and may result in the risk of a repeat exposure.
Educational programs should review and consider amending, if necessary, policies to assure
that the use of gonadal shielding should only be utilized when it will not interfere with the
purpose of the examination and when it aligns with clinical facility policy.
Consistent with Standard Five, programs must have policies/processes in place to assure
students are educated on the importance of the proper use of shielding and optimal use of
radiation to promote the health and safety of students, patients, and the public.
______________________________________________________
1 [NCRP] National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. 2021. NCRP
Recommendations for Ending Routine Gonadal Shielding During Abdominal and Pelvic Radiography.
Bethesda (MD): National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Statement No. 13.
2 [FDA] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2020. Food and Drugs; radiation protection
recommendations; radiological health; recommendations for the use of specific area gonadal
shielding on patients during medical diagnostic x-ray procedures. Washington (DC): US Government
Publishing Office. 21 CFR Part 1000.50.