Final answer:
To minimize the radiation exposure for a technologist and surgeon in the operating room, the X-ray tube should be placed beneath the patient, while protective barriers and lead shielding are utilized to limit scatter radiation. Fast films and shorter exposure times also help reduce the effective dose received by individuals in the room.
Step-by-step explanation:
To reduce the technologist and surgeon's dose of radiation in the O.R., you would position the X-ray tube beneath the patient. This placement takes advantage of the patient's body to absorb some of the scatter radiation, thus reducing the exposure to the technologist and surgeon. Additionally, the use of protective barriers such as lead aprons for the patient, and lead shielding for the technician, as outlined in Figure 32.7 and Figure 32.10, is vital. The X-ray technician usually stands a few meters away behind a lead-lined door with a lead glass window to minimize occupational exposure. Fast films and minimizing the time of exposure are key factors in reducing the effective dose, which mitigates the potential for harmful exposure to radiation.
Figure 32.13 further illustrates how radiation doses can be focused on a specific target, such as a tumor, using a geometric technique where a 60 Co source of gamma-radiation is rotated around the patient. This technique ensures that the majority of the radiation dose is concentrated at the tumor site, thereby protecting surrounding healthy tissue.