In a typical radiological imaging situation, medical staff may be exposed to secondary X-rays with photon energies ranging from 30 to 140 keV. Regular exposure to such radiation involves risk for biological damage caused by radiation energy absorption in the human body.
Radiation protective garments are commonly used to shield healthcare workers, as well as their patients, from radiation exposure during diagnostic imaging. These types of garments are often designed as aprons with additional accessories depending on the type of protection needed. Commonly used accessories are a collar to protect the thyroid from radiation, sleeves and gloves. The patient may be protected from unintentional exposure to radiation by devices such as a drape, gonad, breast, face and thyroid shields, depending on the circumstances of the intervention.
The radiation protective garments are often lead (Pb) based, such as available from Pulse Medical Inc., FL, USA. Lead based garments are generally heavy and impermeable to air, and therefore uncomfortable for the wearer. In addition, they are environmentally unfriendly, and hence hazardous waste on disposal. There are also ergonomic drawbacks with radiation protective garments of larger sizes, such as an apron, due to its inherent weight (approximately 5-10 kg) that may cause back-pain, which in turn may lead to concentration problems or chronic illness.
Non-lead materials are available on the market that are considered more environmentally friendly, based on elements, alloys or salts of for example, Antimony (Sb), Barium (Ba), Tin (Sn), Bismuth (Bi) Wolfram (Tungsten, W) etc. The non-lead protection devices are significantly lighter as compared to the corresponding lead based device.
However, in common with the lead based products, the effectiveness of the today available non-lead protection devices are subject to relatively rapid ageing, cracking and embrittlement. The radiation protective materials used in todays lead and non-lead containing products are present in the shape of one or several layers of air impermeable films. When folded, the material is exposed to stress which may, over time, cause damage to the material that may reduce radiation protection properties. Those products can hence not be folded and needs to be hung in racks during storage. Furthermore, the products are relatively stiff and uncomfortable and cannot be machine-washed without risking causing material weakness, thus compromising radiation safety. Recommended from the manufacturers is to cloth clean with alcohol or similar, which opens for human errors with the consequence of transmitting bacteria from patient to patient as well as between staff. Lightweight or not, the radiology aprons have a plastic cover that protects from fluid strikethrough but also effectively hinder moist to pass the material thus making the wearer warm and sweaty.
US2009000007 discloses a radiation protective fabric material comprising a polymer and a lightweight radiopaque substance extruded as filaments and formed into a breathable fabric. The extruded filaments are spunbond into a web of non-woven fabric. As such, the structure of the filaments cannot be controlled during the production process, wherein the radiation protection may be impaired due to spaces between the filaments. To improve the radiation protective properties of the web, the fabric may be impregnated using a solution including the radiopaque substance, or placing it into a reaction chamber to further treat the fabric. However, the impregnation of the fabric may reduce the breathability of the fabric and make it brittle, stiff, and uncomfortable. It is quite obvious that the radiation protective fabric material does not have sufficient protective qualities by the filaments only, but have to be further processed that impairing the positive properties it has over lead-based products. Furthermore, an impregnated material is cumbersome to clean and thus maintain, since the radiopaque compound precipitated on the carrying fabric is impaired for each time it is cleaned. Hence, it is not suitable for products intended to be reused multiple times, with cleaning and sterilization in-between.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,515 discloses a garment with radiopaque qualities, wherein a fabric is impregnated using a solution with a lightweight radiopaque compound. The fabric may comprise paper that is exposed to impregnation or placed in a reaction chamber, such as described above, wherein reagents in the form of barium chloride and sulfuric acid. In one embodiment, one reagent may be formed within the fabric, such as a metal thread, and exposed to the other reagent to form a barium sulfate reagent. However, all the disclosed embodiments disclose impregnation of the fabric, which has the issues as discussed above. Furthermore, using a metal thread makes the fabric stiff and unsuitable for a garment. Metal is also subject to fatigue, after which the radiopaque qualities of the material is deteriorated and if formed into a garment it may no longer be practical to wear if deformed. In the disclosed example, it is used in a breathable mask, which does not need to be folded. However, it would be unsuitable in larger garments, such as an apron.
Another drawback with the utilization of metal threads close to a surgical procedure is the potential hazard of short circuits when performing CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) procedures, where ungrounded metals may cause severe damage and health risks due to the high voltage electrical field surrounding the patient and operator.
Hence, an improved radiation protective material would be advantageous and in particular allowing for improved breathability, increased flexibility, cost-effectiveness, age-resistance, and/or foldability would be advantageous.