When it comes to diagnostic imaging, minimizing radiation exposure is not just good practice—it is a professional and ethical imperative. One of the most effective strategies in radiation protection is beam restriction, a technique that directly limits the area of the patient exposed to the primary x-ray beam. This second installment in our series on minimizing patient exposure focuses on the purpose and methods of primary beam restriction.

The Purpose of Primary Beam Restriction

At its core, the prim...