Which examinations require the use of gonad shields for male patients unless an x-ray supervisor specifically requests that gonad shielding not be used?

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 1 and 3
• C. 2 and 3
• D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D)

Gonad shielding reduces radiation dose to the testes, and it’s standard practice for male patients during most radiographic exams. The testes are radiosensitive, so shielding helps protect future fertility and reduce risk, aligning with the ALARA principle. In these three examinations, the gonads are within or very close to the primary beam area, so placing a shield by default minimizes exposure without compromising diagnostic quality. The shield should be positioned so it does not obscure the area of interest or interfere with image formation. Only if shielding would hide essential anatomy or degrade the study, or if the supervisor specifically requests no shielding, should it be omitted. Hence, shielding is required for all three examinations unless there’s an explicit directive to remove it.