Are you protected against ionising radiation when imaging animals?
23rd July 2026
Government guidelines have placed renewed emphasis on safeguarding veterinarians working with diagnostic X-ray equipment
In equine scintigraphy and other large animal imaging, radiography is often performed outside dedicated X-ray rooms and staff may need to remain close to the animal during exposures, making the management of occupational radiation dose particularly important.
Chapter 27 of Joint Publication Service (JPS) 392: Management of Radiation Protection emphasises keeping radiation doses As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) by assessing and monitoring radiation exposure where staff may receive significant doses. While exposure can be reduced by wearing PPE such as lead aprons, only by measuring radiation can a vet truly understand their own risk.
A simple solution for those unfamiliar with radiation
The Tracerco PED-Blue Personal Electronic Dosimeter can precisely measure X-rays with real-time dose and dose rate monitoring. What is great about the PED-Blue is that is has been designed for users who have not been trained in radiation detection and measurement but may work in industries or sectors where it presents a risk, meaning it is simple and intuitive to use.
Tracerco's DoseVision software is included with the PED-Blue, allowing dose rates to be recorded and analysed.
Are you a classified worker?
Schedule 3 of the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17) states the yearly equivalent dose limit of anyone over the age of 18 to be 20 mSv. This is the effective equivalent of a 500 mSv skin dose over a 1 cm2 area. If the nature of your workplace means you are likely to receive a dose above 6 mSv per year, you are designated as a classified worker.
A classified worker is legally required to have an audit trail of their dose exposure. To prevent them from exceeding their annual dose limit, it also allows adjustments to be made to their work to limit exposure where possible.
The PED-Blue can record every 0.01 μSv of exposure and its free DoseVision software allows retrospective analysis of all recorded data down to the minute. This allows you to identify work practices that produce higher-than-expected dose exposure, therefore allowing you to review how that work is performed, and whether there are certain classified workers that need to be avoiding that particular practice.
Find out more
You can learn more about the PED-Blue by clicking the button below to speak to a product specialist directly and requesting a guided demonstration.