Evaluation of Lead Equivalent in Lead-Free Materials

Abstract

During radiology procedures, when it is used ionising radiation, the staff should wear the protective cloths, protecting them from scattered radiation. Today the most popular material used for protection is lead, which has a lot of advantages, but also disadvantages, like lead is known as a toxic material, all wearable protection is heavy, aprons can cause back pains or even traumas, and etc. In the last decade it is offered many various types of materials, which could be used instead of lead (tungsten, bismuth, tin, antimony, copper, and etc.). Replacing lead with these materials it is possible to make protections lighter and more comfortable. However, the basic problem of lead-free protections is that it is not always fulfil manufacturer’s requirements.