Which of the following are required if the operator must remain in the room during a CT scan?

• A. Protective apparel
• B. Protective apparel and dosimeter
• C. Gonad shield and dosimeter
• D. Protective apparel, gonad shield, and dosimeter

Answer: (B)

When the operator must stay in the CT room, the priority is reducing exposure from scatter and monitoring the dose. Wearing protective apparel, such as a lead apron (and a thyroid shield if available), helps attenuate scattered radiation reaching the body, especially the trunk and neck. A dosimeter is worn to measure the operator’s occupational exposure over time and ensure doses stay within safe limits.

Gonad shielding is not routinely recommended in CT because modern CT procedures rely on automatic exposure control and high-energy beams; placing shields over the gonads can interfere with dose optimization, may obscure anatomy, and often provides little real protective benefit in this context. Therefore, the required combination is protective apparel plus a dosimeter.