CAMRT Radiography Practice Exam

Which area is considered a secondary X-ray barrier?

1. Control booth

2. Radiographic table

3. X-ray tube casing

4. Contrast media injector

The correct answer is: Control booth

A secondary X-ray barrier is designed to protect individuals from scatter radiation, which is radiation that deflects off or is produced by the patient and other objects in the path of the X-ray beam. The control booth is constructed to ensure the safety of radiology personnel during imaging procedures. Its materials and design are specifically engineered to attenuate scatter radiation effectively. This allows the technologist to operate the X-ray machine from a distance while being shielded from excess radiation exposure. In contrast, other options like the radiographic table and the X-ray tube casing serve different purposes. The radiographic table is typically not categorized as a barrier since it is constructed for patient positioning and support rather than radiation protection. The X-ray tube casing, while providing primary protection during imaging, is not considered a secondary barrier, as it primarily protects against the direct radiation emitted by the tube rather than scatter radiation. Similarly, a contrast media injector is a device used to administer contrast agents during imaging but does not offer any radiation protective qualities. Thus, the control booth is the area recognized as a secondary X-ray barrier because it effectively reduces exposure from scatter radiation.