Properties of Lead for Radiation Shielding

Lead is a highly effective radiation shielding material, and is used in the manufacturing of almost all radiation safety systems. The several properties of lead that make it an effective radiation shielding material are:

•   High density
•   High atomic number
•  Good level of stability
•  Ease of fabrication
•  High degree of flexibility

Lead is vastly available and is also very cheap. Lead is less likely to be contaminated, and is immediately available for re-use. Lead shielding attenuates the harmful radiation like x-rays, gamma rays, etc. and makes them impotent. It reduces their effectiveness and creates a safe, radiation free environment for the persons working around the radiation scattering equipment.

Lead radiation shielding products by Medi-Ray ^TM

Medi-Ray^TM, the industry leader has over 34 years of expertise in the manufacture of lead radiation shielding products. Medi-Ray^TM provides customers with custom designed alternatives to reduce the product weight, thus reducing the shipping cost. They implement improved safety mechanisms through advanced shielding characteristics.

If you need any type of radiation shielding products, then call Medi-Ray^TM at 1-877-898-3003/914-979-2740 now!  You can send e-mails at sales@mediray.com or fax at 914-337-4620. Visit http://www.mediray.com/ for more information. 

Lead Shielding for Medical Purpose

The properties of Lead which make it an excellent shielding material are its density, high atomic number, high level of stability, ease of fabrication, high degree of flexibility in application, and its availability. And that’s why lead is used as radiation protection in applications ranging from x-ray imaging and PET rooms to nuclear reactors. In this article, author explains how lead shielding is used for medical purposes.

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Lead is the best metal in providing protection from various sources of radiation and has become a standard in the design of Radiation Protection systems. The properties of Lead which make it an excellent shielding material are its density, high atomic number, high level of stability, ease of fabrication, high degree of flexibility in application, and its availability. And that’s why lead is used as radiation protection in applications ranging from x-ray imaging and PET rooms to nuclear reactors.

A senior consultant from Medi-Ray^TM1 says about lead shielding, “Whether you are shielding radioactive materials, X-Ray, CT, MRI or PET scanning equipment or the rooms that house them, Medi-Ray^TM has the shielding components you need: sheet lead and foils, adhesive backed and coated lead materials, custom components and lead stampings.” (Ref: Medi-Ray^TM, http://www.mediray.com/product_category/products/lead_shielding )

Radioactive materials in laboratories and hospitals are usually handled by remote control from a position of safety behind a wall of Lead bricks and in hospitals, X-ray machines are normally installed in rooms shield with Lead Sheet / Lead Foil.

The X-ray can cause physical damage to person exposed to them so it is necessary to shield the x-ray generating units with a material that resists x-ray penetration.

For medical radiographic and fluoroscopic rooms, the lead shielding generally does not extend above a line 7 ft., 0 in. from the finished floor; and if the services lines and ducts can be located above this line, shielding around them is obviously unnecessary. For X-ray therapy rooms, lead shielding may extend to the ceiling or structural slab. The ceiling or slab above and the floor may also be lead lined, depending upon the output and other conditions.

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1. Mediray^TM:  Mediray^TM is devoted to innovation in lead metal technology. Since 1974, Mediray^TM has been the largest supplier of radio-pharmaceutical shipping containers. Mediray^TM is mainly known for shielding radioactive products, X-ray, PET, CT or MRI equipment. For any further enquiry or to get free quotes, call at 877-898-3003 / 914-979-2740 or fax at 914-337-4620. You can send e-mails at sales@mediray.com. Office is located at 150 Marbledale Road, Tuckahoe, New York 10707. Visit http://www.mediray.com/ for more information.

X-Ray Shielding- Medical Radiation Protection

Radiation protection is practice of protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiations. Ionizing radiation is used in many aspects of industry and medicine, which can result in significant health hazards like damage to body tissue, which can lead to skin burns and radiation sickness at high exposures, as well as risks of cancer at low exposures.

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There are three types of radiation safety measures that must be taken to control the dose or amount of radiation from x-ray equipment. These include:

- Reducing the time of exposure as this reduces the dose proportionally.

- Increasing distance to reduce dose. This can be done by making use of forceps to handle a source rather than using the fingers.

- Shielding to reduce radiation to a level that is suitable for humans. Shielding can be done by placing a mass of absorbing material around the radioactive source.

Among the above safety measures, shielding the x-ray equipment to reduce the level of radiation using lead radiation shielding products is the best way.

Lead radiation shielding

Shielding may include lead sheets in the walls surrounding an x-ray room, lead glass or screens on the viewing room for operator safety, and lead aprons for patients to wear. The effectiveness of such shields depends on shield thickness. Lead is used to produce X-Ray shielded products ranging from lead syringe shielding, shipping containers, laboratory accessories, lead sheet, lead bricks etc. X-Ray shielding can be done using lead sheet of 2 mm thickness. Mobile X-ray barrier can be mounted on wheels and moved around easily. This is used extensively in medical industry. Patient is exposed to controlled intensity X-ray for some time while the doctor stays behind a curtain.

This safety measure is taken as doctor will do the producer on many patients. Regular exposure to X-Ray is dangerous to health. Lead containers are available now a days for shielding instruments form x-rays. Everything in X-Ray room is X-Ray shielded. Radiation shielding for syringe is available in the market.

Radiation shielding products

Mediray¹ has developed clinic, laboratory, and medical office products for various types of x-ray applications, using such materials as lead castings, sheet lead, and lead foil. Medi-RayTM, Incorporated is totally unique in the market. From its inception over thirty-five years ago, Medi-RayTM has been the world's foremost manufacturer of shielding products for nuclear medicine. For many firms, that would be enough but not for Medi-Ray. Their goal is the relentless pursuit of innovation, and is proud to be the recognized leader in lead metal technology and radiation shielding. They realized that only a multi-disciplinary approach would provide a complete solution to the numerous problems of high costs and other related operational factors that faced many of the fields that required precision lead metal and alloy technologies.

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1. Medi-Ray: Medi-Ray is devoted to innovation in lead metal technology. Since 1974, Medi-Ray has been the largest supplier of radio-pharmaceutical shipping containers. Medi-Ray is mainly known for shielding radioactive products, X-ray, PET, CT or MRI equipment. For any further enquiry or to get free quotes,  call at 877-898-3003 / 914-979-2740 or fax at 914-337-4620. You can send e-mails at sales@mediray.com. Office is located at 150 Marbledale Road, Tuckahoe, New York 10707. Visit http://www.mediray.com/ for more information.

Lead Lined Products for radiation protection

Radiation shielding used to protect people and the environment from harmful effects of radiation. Lead lined products are of great importance for radiation protection and used worldwide in several facilities.

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The importance of radiation shielding

Radiation shielding is necessary because people in various fields may be exposed to worrying levels of radiation that may damage skin tissues and cause hazardous diseases like cancer. The equipment in medical fields like x-ray equipment, thyroid equipment etc. is covered with masses of lead to patients from radiation overexposure.

In which industries are these lead lined products used?

1. Lead lined products are used in medical fields like dental equipment, x-ray machines, vetinary etc. This ensures safety for the patients and staff who work frequently with them.

2. Nuclear medicine accessories are used to hold nuclear medicines are made with lead lining products. Also syringes used to hold these medicines are shielded with lead.

3. Shipping containers that hold radioactive active materials are also shielded with lead to ensure safety while transportation.

4. In nuclear power industries, to protect the workers and environment from powerful gamma and neutron radiation, lead shielding is vigorously used.

5. Many lead products like lead plates and lead bricks are used in defence industries like submarines where nuclear power is used.

6. Lead sheets and other lead products are used in construction industry to best suit ant radiation issues.

Lead lined products

Medi-RayTM¹ is devoted to innovation in lead metal technology. Medi-RayTM is noted as the industry leader in radio-pharmaceutical containers. The essential elements of solidity and porosity-free castings have been the focus of Medi-RayTM packaging engineers and radiation physicists.

Medi-Ray’s staff of engineers, in concert with numerous security, detection and scanning equipment companies, has developed the latest in shielding components. Medi-Ray’s lead components are utilized in a wide variety of security environments from port security to air-line baggage, mail and freight applications. Medi-RayTM has the shielding components you need: sheet lead and foils, adhesive backed and coated lead materials, custom components and lead stampings.

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1. Medi-Ray: Medi-Ray is devoted to innovation in lead metal technology. Since 1974, Medi-Ray has been the largest supplier of radio-pharmaceutical shipping containers. Medi-Ray is mainly known for shielding radioactive products, X-ray, PET, CT or MRI equipment. For any further enquiry or to get free quotes,  call at 877-898-3003 / 914-979-2740 or fax at 914-337-4620. You can send e-mails at sales@mediray.com. Office is located at 150 Marbledale Road, Tuckahoe, New York 10707. Visit http://www.mediray.com/ for more information.