title: Erbium filtration for dose reduction in dental radiography.
abstract: Previous work has suggested that rare-earth filtration of diagnostic X rays is an effective means of dose reduction in radiology. Erbium (atomic number 68) is particularly promising in this respect. The effects on the X-ray beam and surface dose of the addition of 0.1 mm of erbium foil to the conventional filtration of a GE1000 dental X-ray set were investigated. Filtration by 0.1 mm of erbium produced a beam of narrower spectrum, greater penetration but lower intensity than that filtered conventionally by aluminium alone. The overall dose reduction achieved in dental radiography was greater than 30% between 65 and 85 kVp with a maximum dose reduction of 42% at 65 kVp. The question of the cost-effectiveness of erbium filtration as a radiation protection measure is also addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Radiology, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, Denmark Hill, London.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horner
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lawinski
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D004871:Erbium; D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D004871:Erbium