Medical radiography at sea.

The medical use of x-rays on cruise ships presents some interesting challenges to those used to radiation protection on land. However, the same radiation protection principles apply in both situations. The protection of staff and public apply wherever x-ray machines are used. Whether medical staff, patients, other crew or passengers, all need to be considered with respect to restriction of exposure. An important part of patient dose restriction is dose assessment. A procedure for doing this is presented in this article. The physical assessment of an x-ray facility has two aspects: assessment of shielding afforded by the room structure and assessment of the x-ray equipment itself. Assessment of ancillary equipment is also appropriate; for example, the film processor can have a direct impact on doses to patients. Badly processed films might necessitate repeat exposures. Underdeveloped films might also mislead operators into suspecting that the film is underexposed--the apparent solution is an increase in output causing an unacceptable increase in patient dose. This article also discusses some aspects of the design and assessment of x-ray facilities and the adaptations necessary to achieve a reasonable level of protection in an unusual environment.