New Mexico Administrative Code › Title 20 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Chapter 3 - RADIATION PROTECTION › Part 6 - X-RAYS IN HEALING ARTS › Section 20.3.6.603 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL DIAGNOSTIC X-RAY SYSTEMS

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 13, July 16, 2024
In addition to other requirements of this Subpart, all
				  diagnostic x-ray systems shall meet the following requirements:
A. Warning Label: The control panel
				containing the main power switch shall bear the warning statement, legible and
				accessible to view: "WARNING: This X-ray Unit May Be Dangerous To Patient and
				Operator Unless Safe Exposure Factors and Operating Instructions Are
				Observed";
B. Battery Charge
				Indicator: On battery-powered generators, visual means shall be provided on the
				control panel to indicate whether the battery is in a state of charge adequate
				for proper operation;
C. Leakage
				Radiation from the Diagnostic Source Assembly: The leakage radiation from the
				diagnostic source assembly measured at a distance of 1 m in any direction from
				the source shall not exceed 100 mR (1 mSv) in 1 hour when the x-ray tube is
				operated at its leakage technique factor. Compliance shall be determined by
				measurements averaged over an area of 100 sq cm (39.37 inches) with no linear
				dimension greater than 20 cm (7.87 inches); and
D. Radiation from Components other than the
				Diagnostic Source Assembly: The radiation emitted by a component other than the
				diagnostic source assembly shall not exceed 2 mR (2 mSv) in 1 hour at 5 cm from
				any accessible surface of the component when it is operated in an assembled
				x-ray system under any conditions for which it was designed. Compliance shall
				be determined by measurements averaged over an area of 100 sq cm (39.37 inches)
				with no linear dimension greater than 20 cm (7.87 inches).
E. Beam Quality:
(1) Half-value layer:
(a) The half-value layer (HVL) of the useful
				beam for a given x-ray tube potential shall not be less than the values shown
				in Table 603.1 [Table 1 , Section 603 of 20.3.6.603 NMAC]. If it is necessary
				to determine such half-value layer at an x-ray tube potential which is not
				listed in Table 603.1 [Table I, Section 603 of 20.3.6.603 NMAC], linear
				interpolation or extrapolation may be made.
TABLE I
Design operating range Measured potential Half-value
				  layer
(Kilovolts peak) (Kilovolts peak) aluminum) (Millimeters
				  of)
Below 50 30 0.3
40 0.4
49 0.5
50 to 70 50 1.2
60 1.3
70 1.5
Above 70 71 2.1
80 2.3
90 2.5
100 2.7
110 3.0
120 3.2
130 3.5
140 3.8
150 4.1
(b) The above HVL criteria will be considered
				to have been met if it can be demonstrated that the aluminum equivalent of the
				total filtration in the primary beam is not less than that shown in Table 603.2
				[Table II of Section 603, 20.3.6.603 NMAC].
TABLE II
FILTRATION REQUIRED vs. OPERATING VOLTAGE
Total Filtration (inherent plus added)
Operating Voltage (millimeters aluminum
(kVp)equivalent)
Below 50 0.5 mm
50 - 70 1.5 mm
Above 70 2.5 mm
(c) Beryllium window tubes shall have a
				minimum of 0.5 mm aluminum equivalent filtration permanently mounted in the
				useful beam.
(d) For capacitor
				energy storage equipment, compliance shall be determined with the maximum
				quantity of charge per exposure.
(e) The required minimal aluminum equivalent
				filtration shall include the filtration contributed by all materials which are
				always present between the focal spot of the tube and the patient (e.g., a
				tabletop when the tube is mounted "under the table" and inherent filtration of
				the tube).