Performance evaluation of a medical radiation shielding sheet with barium as an environment-friendly material

A radiation shield was developed from environmental-friendly materials as a potential replacement for the lead aprons used as shields against radiation produced in radiological examinations. For this, a radiation shielding sheet was manufactured using barium sulfate, which is not harmful to the human body, and its performance was evaluated. During the process of producing the shielding sheet, a mixing process focusing on the particle packing of barium sulfate was introduced to improve its shielding rate. This process was able to increase the particle packing by up to 450% compared to that for silicon. The mixing process was assessed by calculating and comparing the particle packing and porosity. The lead equivalent test method of X-ray protective supplies in the Korea Industrial Standard was applied as a radiation shield test for the manufactured sheet, and its shielding ability was evaluated at 30 kVp, 60 kVp, 100 kVp, and 150 kVp, respectively. According to the results, the manufactured sheet showed similar shielding ability to that of a 0.5 mm lead equivalent, and its barium sulfate particle packing was found to be satisfactory considering its flexibility. Therefore, a radiation shielding sheet made from barium sulfate and liquid silicone resin mixtures, which are environment-friendly shielding materials, instead of lead, by using this process will have excellent shielding ability in examinations performed in radiology and nuclear medicine departments.