Advancing radiation safety in dental CBCT scans: Assessing the efficacy of barium sulfate shields in protecting the thyroid and eyes

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used in dentistry but involves exposure to ionizing radiation, raising concerns about radiation-induced thyroid or eye damage. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of barium sulfate shields for the thyroid and eye during dental CBCT scans. An experimental study measured surface dose in the thyroid and eyes regions during CBCT scans using an anthropomorphic phantom and a solid-state detector. Radiation dose reduction was calculated between radiation surface doses with and without shielding. The significance of the barium sulfate shields was determined using a t -test. The greatest dose reduction was observed during a complete study with a sinus scan in a field size of 11 × 13 cm 2 for the thyroid and eye (91 % and 90 %, respectively). The least dose reduction for the thyroid shield was recorded for the half jaw area in a field size of 8 × 5 cm 2 (68 %), while for the eyes, it was found for the whole side, half jaw in a field size of 8 × 8 cm 2 (76 %). Statistically significant differences were noted between the findings with and without a shield for both the thyroid (p = 0.0001) and the eyes (p = 0.0000). Barium sulfate shields effectively reduce the radiation doses to the thyroid and eyes in an adult phantom across six field sizes during dental CBCT. Dose reduction depended on the shield position, imaging area and field size. Findings highlight the importance of these shields in minimising radiation exposure and protecting the thyroid and eyes.