Patent Number: 042141672
Section: description

A device shown in FIG. 1 for protection of the gonads in x-ray diagnosis comprises a nearly rectangular retaining frame 1, advantageously made of a suitable plastic, as well as a support strip 3 which supports a plate 2. The plate 2 is made of a substance which is impermeable to light and x-rays, e.g. lead, while the support strip 3 is made of a material such as acrylic glass which is permeable to light and x-rays. Plate 2, having a configuration adapted to the female or male gonads to be protected, is embedded in support strip 3. Two retaining plates 4 are screwed onto retaining frame 1 at their ends while inwardly therefrom the plates are spaced at a distance corresponding to the thickness of the support strip from the retaining frame, forming two opposed retaining slots 5 in which support strip 3 can be inserted. By moving support strip 3, as indicated by arrows 6, with respect to retaining frame 1, when the collimator of the x-ray apparatus (not shown) is switched on, plate 2 will be brought to the place where the gonads are shielded from the x-rays. Two parallel insert strips are provided for fastening the retaining frame 1 to the x-ray instrument. The two parallel insert strips are inserted into grooves 8 provided for them in the collimator 9 of the x-ray instrument indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 2. The two insert strips 7 are disposed so that they are movable with respect to each other on retaining frame 1, as indicated by arrows 10 in FIG. 2. Two parallel slots 11 are provided on retaining frame 1, through which the shanks 12 of two set screws 13 for each strip 7 engage, turning in thread 14 on foot 15 of insert strips 7. The height of insert strips 7 can be so selected that the device can be clamped on an area-dose potentiometer. On foot 15 of insert strips 7, there are prismatic guide tips 16 that engage in slots 11. The said guide tips 16--see FIG. 2--are welded or hard-soldered on the U-profiled insert strips 7, which are made of sheet steel. The height of guide tips 16 is somewhat less than the thickness of retaining frame 1 so that, by means of a collar 18 on the underside of head 17 of set screws 13, there can be fixed clamping of insert strips 7 at the desired location. Two retaining bridge members 19 are also provided on retaining frame 1 between slots 11 so that support strips can be selectively inserted crosswise. While I have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.