title: Lead Aprons Are a Lead Exposure Hazard.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether lead-containing shields have lead dust on the external surface.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institutional review board approval was obtained for this descriptive study of a convenience sample of 172 shields. Each shield was tested for external lead dust via a qualitative rapid on-site test and a laboratory-based quantitative dust wipe analysis, flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The χ2test was used to test the association with age, type of shield, lead sheet thickness, storage method, and visual and radiographic appearance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-three percent (95% confidence interval [CI]: 56%-70%) of the shields had detectable surface lead by FAAS and 50% (95% CI: 43%-57%) by the qualitative method. Lead dust by FAAS ranged from undetectable to 998 μg/ft2. The quantitative detection of lead was significantly associated with the following: (1) visual appearance of the shield (1 = best, 3 = worst): 88% of shields that scored 3 had detectable dust lead; (2) type of shield: a greater proportion of the pediatric patient, full-body, and thyroid shields were positive than vests and skirts; (3) use of a hanger for storage: 27% of shields on a hanger were positive versus 67% not on hangers. Radiographic determination of shield intactness, thickness of interior lead sheets, and age of shield were unrelated to presence of surface dust lead.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sixty-three percent of shields had detectable surface lead that was associated with visual appearance, type of shield, and storage method. Lead-containing shields are a newly identified, potentially widespread source of lead exposure in the health industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. Electronic address: kburns@montefiore.org.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Jamie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Shoag
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California.
authors.forename: Sukhraj S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kahlon
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, The University at Albany, Albany, New York.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Polly E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Bijur
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Benjamin H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Taragin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Morri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markowitz
mesh_terms: D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D004391:Dust; D007854:Lead
keywords: Occupational safety; patient safety; radiation protection