At its fall meeting, the ASRT Board of Directors discussed the recommendation by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine to discontinue patient gonadal and fetal shielding during x-ray procedures.

A key part of the Board’s discussion focused on a National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements committee that is investigating recommendations, based on scientific evidence, on whether gonadal shielding should continue to be used routinely. The NCRP’s findings, expected to be released in early 2020, will be crucial as its guidelines are woven into existing educational curricula and certification exams. As such, the NCRP’s pending recommendations will affect future curriculum and certification exams.

As the AAPM’s recommendation is a major change for current practices in the medical imaging community, and ASRT continues to receive questions about the proposal, the Board will monitor the issue as it unfolds and keep the profession updated as more information becomes available.

In addition, the ASRT Board encourages radiologic technologists to read the AAPM’s open letter to the medical imaging community published Aug. 19, which outlines its plans to include stakeholder organizations and individual members of the medical imaging community in the discussion.

Radiologic technologists who have comments, questions or concerns about the AAPM recommendation may contact the organization directly at cares@aapm.org.