Thyroid Collar
A flexible lead-lined protective shield placed around the patient's neck during dental radiography to reduce radiation dose to the thyroid gland.
Full Definition
The thyroid collar is a radiation protection device constructed from lead or lead-equivalent material, worn around the neck of the patient to attenuate scatter radiation reaching the radiosensitive thyroid gland during dental X-ray exposures. Its use is particularly recommended for children, pregnant patients, and during panoramic or cephalometric exposures where the thyroid is closer to the primary beam path. Editors of radiation protection guidelines and patient information literature must render this term consistently as 'thyroid collar' (two words, no hyphen). It should not be confused with the lead apron, which protects the torso rather than the neck. Regulatory and clinical guidance documents often mandate its use as part of optimisation protocols.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from 'lead apron' in all patient safety documents. Current UK guidance (PHE) recommends thyroid collar use for intraoral radiography in children.
In Context
- "The radiation protection guidelines specify that a thyroid collar should be placed around the patient's neck before each intraoral exposure." — Radiation protection protocol document
- "The proofreader corrected 'thyroid-collar' to 'thyroid collar' in accordance with the house style guide." — Clinical guidelines editing