Achieving ALARA with Radiation Protection Products and Services
Radiation safety is never achieved by a single solution—it requires a layered system of protections working together.
The ALARA Radiation Protection Standard
Advancing radiation safety requires clarity, consistency, and inclusivity. To support healthcare professionals, industry partners, and policymakers, ALARA has developed a definitive taxonomy of radiation protection devices and systems.
This framework recognizes the full spectrum of protective solutions — from garments to integrated barriers, mobile and structural shielding, adjunctive devices, and monitoring systems. Each plays a vital role in reducing occupational exposure and ensuring patient and staff safety.
By establishing this standard, ALARA provides the industry with a common language and classification system, ensuring that all technologies are evaluated on their merits, integrated effectively, and understood as part of a comprehensive, layered protection strategy.
Integrated Barrier Systems
What is it?
Integrated Barrier Systems are radiation shielding solutions designed to integrate seamlessly with interventional imaging equipment. They are mounted to or incorporated into the operating table, C-arm, fluoroscopy unit, or overhead ceiling apparatus to provide consistent, procedural shielding for the clinical team.
Key Benefits
- Deliver comprehensive radiation dose reduction at the source, lowering exposure for the entire operating team.
- Support optimization of personnel protective equipment (PPE) requirements: with barrier systems in place, staff may meet or exceed dose-reduction standards while using garments of lighter lead equivalence (e.g., 0.25 mm or 0.125 mm LE) compared to traditional requirements (e.g., 0.5 mm or 0.35 mm LE).
- Contribute to improved ergonomics and reduced fatigue, enabling healthcare professionals to perform procedures with greater comfort and efficiency.
- Align with regulatory compliance while offering flexibility in how protection thresholds are achieved.
Examples
- Ceiling Suspended Shields
- Table-mounted Barriers
- C-Arm Integrated Shielding Systems
Personal Protective Equipment
What is it?
Personnel Protective Equipment encompasses all worn garments and accessories designed to reduce occupational exposure to ionizing radiation. PPE remains a foundational safeguard for healthcare professionals across diagnostic imaging, interventional, and surgical environments.
Key Benefits
- Provide direct attenuation of scatter radiation to critical organs and tissues.
- Available in various lead equivalence (LE) thicknesses (e.g., 0.5 mm, 0.35 mm, 0.25 mm, and 0.125 mm), supporting regulatory compliance and allowing flexibility when combined with other protection methods.
- Offer modular protection strategies, adaptable to procedural risk level, room setup, and staff role.
- Complement integrated barrier systems (IBS), enabling optimized dose reduction with lighter, more ergonomic garment options.
Examples
- Protective Garments – aprons, vest-and-skirt combinations, full-wrap coats,etc.
- Targeted Shields – thyroid collars, breast shields, gonadal shields, and protective caps.
- Specialized Accessories – leaded eyewear, gloves, and other adjunctive wearables that extend coverage.
Structural Shielding
What is it?
Structural Shielding refers to the permanent, architectural elements integrated into procedure rooms and imaging suites to provide baseline radiation protection. These safeguards are built into the facility itself, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and long-term safety for patients, staff, and visitors.
Key Benefits
- Establish consistent and reliable radiation protection across all room users.
- Ensure regulatory compliance and dose management at the facility level.
- Provide a stable foundation upon which additional protection layers can build.
Examples
- Lead-lined walls, ceilings and floors
- Leaded Glass Viewing Windows
- Control Booth Barriers
Specialized Protection Devices
What is it?
Specialized Protection Devices are procedure-specific or anatomy-targeted products that provide additional layers of radiation protection. These solutions are designed to complement PPE, Integrated Barrier Systems, and structural protections by addressing high-exposure areas or unique clinical scenarios.
Key Benefits
- Deliver focused dose reduction for sensitive anatomical regions and procedure-specific risks.
- Expand the flexibility of multi-layered protection strategies, ensuring that staff and patients receive tailored shielding.
- Designed for compatibility with sterile fields and interventional workflows, without disrupting efficiency.
Examples
- Sterile radiation-attenuating drapes
- Patient Shielding Pads
- Extremity Shields
Radiation Monitoring & Safety Systems
What is it?
Radiation Monitoring & Safety Systems are devices, tools, and software platforms that measure, track, and manage radiation exposure in real time. They provide essential data for maintaining compliance, protecting staff and patients, and optimizing safety protocols.
Key Benefits
- Deliver continuous oversight and documentation of occupational and patient dose levels.
- Enable real-time awareness of exposure, supporting immediate protective adjustments.
- Support long-term compliance, quality assurance, and research through exposure tracking and analytics.
Examples
- Personal Dosimeters
- Area Radiation Monitors
- Dose-tracking Software
- Real-time Exposure Alert Systems
Bringing It All Together
Need guidance on how to achieve ALARA? Reach out to us for more information.