//
11
Cocoon Training Manual
MaxRay Safety
Dosimetry
The Cocoon has been shown to be a very safe handheld X-ray system when used as intended. The
occupational dose from leakage radiation at 1 cm from the case is less than 0.05 mSv to the fingers
for an entire work year. And, as long as the operator remains within the safety zone (provided by the
backscatter shield), their dose to the whole body is less than 0.20 mSv. These dose estimates assume
that the operator makes 7,200 dental X-rays each year; the unit is very safe. For reference, the regu-
latory dose limits are 500 mSv to the fingers and 50 mSv to the whole body.
Accidental Exposure Prevention
Accidental exposures are easy to prevent if the operator remains aware of the direction in which the
emission port is pointing and the on/o status of the Cocoon. As a general rule, whether on or o,
the operator should NEVER point the Cocoon emission port at anyone, except the area of the patient
about to be radiographed. Exposure occurs only when the activation button is pressed. The opera-
tor should remain vigilant and keep their finger o the activation button until ready for the intended
exposure.
As the operator, it is important to be aware of your surroundings in order to maintain ALARA. Always
ensure that you are within the backscatter protection zone, and that all unnecessary persons are out
of the room prior to initiating an exposure.
When taking an image, the current status of the unit on the LCD display window will change from
READY to EXPOSURE, accompanied by voice prompting. The operator will hear a steady tone during
the exposure; this sound will end when the selected time has passed. As a safety feature, the expo-
sure will stop when the activation button is released, even if the selected time cycle is not complete.
To Next Page
Loading...