Important changes in medical x-ray imaging facility shielding design methodology. A brief summary of recommendations in NCRP Report No. 147

The recently published Report No. 147 of The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements entitled 'Structural shielding design for medical x-ray imaging facilities' provides an update of shielding recommendations for x rays used for medical imaging. The goal of this report is to ensure that the shielding in these facilities limits radiation exposures to employees and members of the public to acceptable levels. Board certified medical and health physicists, as defined in this report, are the 'qualified experts' who are competent to design radiation shielding for these facilities. As such, physicists must be aware of the new technical information and the changes from previous reports that Report No. 147 supersedes. In this article we summarize the new data, models and recommendations for the design of radiation barriers in medical imaging facilities that are presented in Report No. 147