Mediray Lead Products – Lead Radiation Shielding

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Mediray

While nuclear medicine is undoubtedly a boon, it can be life threatening for medical and paramedical personnel or members of the public who are continually exposed to its mutating effects. It is imperative that medical institutions offering nuclear medicine employ effective shielding practices.

Moreover the source of radiation contaminates the environment and science has not yet developed a foolproof method to dispose the waste produced by radioactive materials. The waste requires a shield as well.

Most countries have a national regulatory authority to ensure a secure radiation environment.

Commonly used means to reduce radiation exposure to humans are:

* Shielding or creating barriers between the source of radiation and the exposed individual.

* Minimizing the time spent in radiation field.

* Increasing the distance between the source and the exposed individuals.

Lead Radiation Shielding

Shielding protects humans and objects from harmful exposure by reducing the level of radiation. This is done by placing a mass of radiation absorbent material around a reactor or any other radioactive source.

Due to its high density, lead is considered an effective radiation shield. A combination of high atomic mass and the relatively small size of bond lengths and atomic radius allow a high number of atoms to be packed into a particular lead structure which is ideal for the scattering x-rays and gamma-rays.

Apart from possessing the required thickness and weight, lead dissipates heat fast. Moreover it is cost effective and convenient to fabricate. Other dense elements like tungsten and thorium are not as easily available as lead.

Lead Products

A range of lead products are available as medical accessories. They can also be custom made for individual requirements.

Medical instruments are protected by lead coating.

Lead casting is used to produce containers for radioactive waste.

Lead bricks and sheets act as shields for nuclear waste containers.

Sheet Lead helps build shielding walls, doors, window frames and cabinets.

For human protection lead aprons, blankets and other accessories are available.

Medical Terms

Radionuclide is an atom with a nucleus that possesses excess energy that may be directed to a newly created radiation particle within the nucleus or to an atomic electron. In the process the atom undergoes radioactive decay. Radionuclides are also produced artificially.

Radiopharmaceuticals are chemical compounds created by combining radionuclides with other elements or with existing pharmaceutical compounds.

Ionizing radiation is composed of particles that possess or can release sufficient energy to remove an electron from an atom or a molecule. The free radicals thus generated can damage diseased tissues.

For more information about our products like Nuclear Medicine Lab Accessories and Radiation Shielding and all other Nuclear products please contact us immediately at 914-979-2740 or you can also visit our site at

mediray.com/pages/Products/X-RayShielding.html /

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