Final answer:
An X-ray technician or radiologic technologist is responsible for positioning and exposing x-ray films for imaging, using protective equipment such as lead aprons and standing behind lead-lined barriers to limit radiation exposure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Any person who positions, exposes, and processes x-ray films is typically referred to as an X-ray technician or radiologic technologist. Key safety measures, such as the use of a lead apron, are crucial for protecting both the patient and the technician from unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation during the imaging process. Fast films are employed to reduce the length of exposure, thereby minimizing the radiation dose to the patient. For the protection of the technician, standing behind a lead-lined door with a lead glass window is a standard safety protocol to reduce occupational exposure to radiation.Film badges, which contain film similar to dental X-ray films and sandwiched between absorbent materials, are worn by technicians to monitor their exposure to radiation. The film in these badges reacts to radiation and darkens proportionally to the amount it absorbs, providing a measure of how much radiation the wearer has been exposed to.The discovery by Wilhelm Roentgen of x-rays revealed the ability of this type of invisible radiation to expose photographic film even through layers such as dark paper, a phenomenon which lies at the heart of the technology that enables medical imaging today.