Radiation safety standards state collimators must be accurate within what percentage of the source-to-image distance (SID)?

Collimators are essential devices in radiography that help focus the beam of radiation and limit the exposure area to the patient, thereby reducing unnecessary radiation dose. The accuracy of collimators is critical for ensuring both image quality and patient safety.

Radiation safety standards require that collimators must be accurate within 2% of the source-to-image distance (SID) to ensure precise alignment of the radiation beam. This standard helps minimize the risk of overexposure by ensuring that the radiation beam is confined to the correct area, which is especially important in protecting adjacent tissues and organs from unnecessary radiation.

Adhering to a standard of 2% accuracy means that for every 100 cm of SID, the collimation would need to be accurate to within 2 cm. This level of precision is necessary to meet safety regulations and to maintain the integrity of the imaging process.