The secondary protective barrier includes which types of radiation?

• A. Leakage Radiation
• B. Scattered Radiation
• C. Both Leakage and Scattered Radiation
• D. Primary Beam Radiation

Answer: (C)

In radiologic protection, barriers are designed to guard against different forms of radiation around the X-ray tube. The secondary protective barrier is intended to attenuate radiation that is not the direct primary beam—specifically leakage that escapes through the tube housing and scatter that results when the primary beam interacts with the patient and other materials. Leakage radiation comes from within the tube housing, while scatter radiation is deflected in many directions from the patient and room surfaces. Since the secondary barrier must reduce both of these sources, it encompasses both leakage and scattered radiation. The primary beam radiation itself is what the primary barrier is designed to block.