Under what circumstances can hospital personnel hold a patient during an X-ray?

• A. Never allowed
• B. Only in emergencies
• C. Only when radiographer is unavailable
• D. As a routine practice

Answer: (B)

In radiography, protecting staff from radiation and achieving a still, clear image are both essential. Holding a patient during exposure exposes the person holding to scatter or any unintended exposure, which violates the safety principle of keeping people out of the exposure zone and contradicts ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable). Because of that, holding the patient is not a routine practice and is not done just because the radiographer is unavailable or as a standard step in every exam.

The only circumstance where it’s considered, and only briefly, is an emergency where there’s no other option to obtain a diagnostic image quickly and delaying could harm the patient. In that moment, a trained, consenting person may assist by holding the patient still, but every effort should be made to minimize exposure: use the shortest possible exposure time, employ immobilization devices or supports, shield the holder with lead aprons or shields, and ensure the holder is not in the primary beam and maintains as much distance as possible from the X-ray source. This exception is rare and strictly limited to urgent situations.