Haworth S, Drage N
Bristol Dental School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology, University Dental Hospital, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
J Radiol Prot. 2023 Mar 31;43(1). doi: 10.1088/1361-6498/acc4cf.
A high volume of dental imaging is carried out each year. In the UK, guidance on the use of patient contact shielding for these investigations is published by the British Institute of Radiology (BIR) and in a document jointly produced by the Faculty of General Dental Practice and Public Health England (FGDP/PHE). Both these sources of guidance have been updated recently and patient contact shielding is no longer recommended for most imaging settings in dental radiology. It is unclear whether radiology departments at dental teaching hospitals in the UK are aware of these sources of guidance, and how this relates to clinical practice within these departments. A survey was carried out exploring the awareness of current guidelines and clinical practice at dental teaching hospitals in the UK. The survey was sent to a representative at 17 different dental teaching hospital radiology departments. Responses were received from 11 departments. The range of intra-oral and extra-oral imaging carried out at these departments was comparable. Ten departments were aware of the existence of national guidelines for patient contact shielding, however only four were specifically aware of the recent BIR guidelines and only four were specifically aware of the FGDP/PHE guidelines. No department was aware of both sets of guidelines. No departments used thyroid protection for bitewing, periapical, lower 45 degree occlusal, panoramic or lateral cephalometric radiographs. Six departments sometimes or always used thyroid protection for upper standard occlusal imaging. Two departments used thyroid protection for cone beam CT imaging. No departments routinely used lead aprons on patients for dental imaging. In conclusion, radiology departments at dental teaching hospitals in the UK do not use patient contact shielding for most imaging situations in dental radiology. There is mixed awareness of current national guidelines, but the reported clinical practice aligns well with the current guidelines.
每年都会进行大量的牙科成像检查。在英国，英国放射学会（BIR）以及由普通牙科实践与公共卫生英格兰学院（FGDP/PHE）联合制作的一份文件发布了关于在这些检查中使用患者接触防护的指南。这两个指南来源最近都进行了更新，并且在牙科放射学的大多数成像设置中不再推荐使用患者接触防护。目前尚不清楚英国牙科教学医院的放射科是否知晓这些指南来源，以及这与这些科室的临床实践有何关联。开展了一项调查，以探究英国牙科教学医院对现行指南的知晓情况及临床实践。该调查发送给了17个不同牙科教学医院放射科的代表。收到了11个科室的回复。这些科室进行的口腔内和口腔外成像范围具有可比性。10个科室知晓存在关于患者接触防护的国家指南，然而只有4个科室特别知晓最近的BIR指南，只有4个科室特别知晓FGDP/PHE指南。没有科室知晓这两套指南。没有科室在拍摄咬合翼片、根尖片、下颌45度咬合片、全景片或头颅侧位片时使用甲状腺防护。6个科室在进行上颌标准咬合成像时有时或总是使用甲状腺防护。2个科室在锥形束CT成像时使用甲状腺防护。没有科室在牙科成像时常规为患者使用铅围裙。总之，英国牙科教学医院的放射科在牙科放射学的大多数成像情况下不使用患者接触防护。对现行国家指南的知晓情况不一，但报告的临床实践与现行指南高度一致。
