Pennsylvania Code
Title 25 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Part I - Department of Environmental Protection
Subpart D - Environmental Health and Safety
Article V - Radiological Health
Chapter 223 - VETERINARY MEDICINE
X-RAYS
Section 223.11 - Radiographic equipment

Universal Citation: 25 PA Code § 223.11

Current through Register Vol. 55, No. 13, March 29, 2025

(a) Leakage radiation.

(1) The leakage radiation from the tube housing assembly with a beam-limiting device attached measured at a distance of 1 meter in any direction from the source may not exceed 100 milliroentgens (25.8 µC/kg) in 1 hour when the X-ray tube is operated at its maximum technique factors. Compliance shall be determined by measurements averaged over an area of 100 square centimeters with no linear dimension greater than 20 centimeters.

(2) The radiation emitted by a component other than the tube housing assembly with a beam-limiting device attached may not exceed 2 milliroentgens (0.516 µC/kg) in 1 hour at 5 centimeters from an accessible surface of the component when it is operated in an assembled X-ray system under conditions for which it was designed. Compliance shall be determined by measurements averaged over an area of 100 square centimeters with no linear dimension greater than 20 centimeters.

(b) X-ray beam restriction.

(1) The primary X-ray beam shall be restricted to the area of clinical interest and equal to or smaller than the image receptor.

(2) Collimating devices capable of limiting the primary beam to the appropriate image receptor to within 2% of the source to image distance shall be provided and used. They shall provide the same degree of protection as is required in subsection (a)(1) for a diagnostic source assembly.

(3) A means shall be provided to align the center of the X-ray field to the center of the image receptor to within 2% of the source to image distance.

(c) X-ray beam filtration. The total filtration permanently in the useful beam may not be less than .5 millimeters aluminum equivalent for machines operating up to 50 kVp, 1.5 millimeters aluminum equivalent for machines operating between 50-70 kVp and 2.5 millimeters aluminum equivalent for machines operating above 70 kVp.

(d) Exposure control devices.

(1) An exposure control device shall be provided to terminate the exposure after a preset time interval, preset product of current and time, a preset number of pulses or a preset radiation exposure to the image receptor. Termination of an exposure shall cause automatic resetting of the timer to its initial setting or to zero. It may not be possible to initiate an exposure with the exposure control device in the zero or off position, if either position is available, unless equipped for current adjustment.

(2) A means shall be provided to initiate the radiation exposure by a deliberate action on the part of the operator such as the depression of a switch. The switch shall be of the dead man type.

(e) The coefficient of variation for exposure may not exceed 0.10 when all technique factors are held constant. This requirement shall be deemed to have been met if, when 4 exposures are made at identical technique factors, the value of the average exposure (a) is greater than or equal to 5 times the maximum exposure (e(max)) minus the minimum exposure (e(min)).

(f) Veterinary portable X-ray units shall be supported by a tube stand when the technique permits unless the unit is designed to be hand held during X-ray procedures.

(g) The X-ray control shall provide indication of the production of X-rays that is observable from the operator's position. The technique factors that are set prior to the exposure shall be indicated on the X-ray control and shall be visible to the operator from the operator's position.

The provisions of this § 223.11 amended under sections 301 and 302 of the Radiation Protection Act (35 P. S. §§ 7110.301 and 7110.302); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-20).

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 223.12a (relating to fluoroscopic equipment).

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