Why do x rays technicians stand behind a shield when giving xrays to patients?

Answer 1

to stop harmful radiation from damaging/mutating reproductive cells

to reduce (not eliminate) stray x-ray dose to parts of the body where such dose is undesired and not needed by required test. Note: significant damage to reproductive cells in a whole body dose would almost certainly be a lethal dose, you would not need to worry about mutations. But x-rays are almost never given whole body anymore, sources are collimated and aimed just where needed. Its the limited stray radiation that they try to shield against.

Answer 2

This is because the patient would only be exposed to the small dose of radiation once, which is hardly harmful. However, radiographers deal with this all day every day, which could mean that the small doses could add up. This is why they stand behind a lead screen; the small exposure to the X-Rays aren't harmful alone but frequent exposure could begin to damage your cells and lead to potential genetic mutation. If a patient is often in radiography (a long-stay patient for example), they begin to wear lead aprons whilst being X-rayed in order to prevent the risk of harm.

Answer 3

X-ray radiation is a bit harmful.

For the patient, it's not a big problem, as he/she only gets x-rayed occasionally. And only when the risk of the x-rays are smaller than the risk of not finding out what's going on with them.

But for the doctor, who's doing it day in, day out it's worse. That's why they have to protect themselves.

Answer 4

because large doses of X-Rays are known to cause cell damage and cancer