10A NCAC 15 .0602 DEFINITIONS
In addition to definitions found in Rules .0104, .0607(b)(3), (18), and (19), .1001, and .1601 of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply to this Section:
(1) "Added filter" means the filter added to the inherent filtration.
(2) "Advanced practitioner" means an individual performing medical acts, tasks, or functions as a licensed nurse practitioner in accordance with G.S. 90-18.2 or a licensed physician assistant in accordance with G.S. 90-18.1.
(4) "Cone beam computed tomography" is a volumetric imaging modality. Volumetric data are acquired using two-dimensional digital detector arrays and a cone-shaped x-ray beam (instead of fan-shaped) that rotates around the patient. Reconstruction algorithms can be used to generate images of any desired plane.
(5) "Clinical training" means hands-on experience or clinical simulation to gain practical knowledge, experience, and skills.
(6) "CT qualified expert (CT QE)" means an individual who is registered or is providing service for a registered facility where they are employed, as required by Section .0200 of this Chapter. The individual shall have the following education and experience:
(a) a master's or doctoral degree in physics, medical physics, biophysics, radiological physics, medical health physics, or equivalent disciplines from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and three years of work experience in a clinical CT environment. The work experience shall be supervised and documented by a medical physicist certified in the specialty area of diagnostic medical physics by the American Board of Radiology, the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine, or the American Board of Medical Physics; or
(b) certification in the specialty area of diagnostic medical physics by the American Board of Radiology, the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine, or the American Board of Medical Physics and shall abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education.
(7) "Dead‑man switch" means a switch so constructed that a circuit closing contact can be maintained only by continuous pressure on the switch by the operator.
(8) "Dental assistant" means an individual who works for licensed dentists and meets the education, training, and experience defined by the NC Board of Dental Examiners.
(9) "Dental handheld radiation machine" means a radiation machine used to take dental radiographs, is designed to be handheld during operation, is operated by an individual authorized to take dental radiographs and may be used in multiple locations.
(10) "Dental hygienist" means an individual licensed by the NC Board of Dental Examiners to practice dental hygiene.
(11) "Diagnostic imaging" means visualizing the inside of the body using radiation exposures to determine the cause of illness or injury or to confirm a diagnosis.
(12) "Diagnostic‑type protective tube housing" means a tube housing so constructed that the leakage radiation measured at a distance of one meter from the source does not exceed 100 mR in one hour when the tube is operated at its leakage technique factors.
(13) "Diagnostic radiation machine" shall have the same meaning as "Diagnostic x-ray system" as defined in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(14) "Entrance exposure rate" means the roentgen per unit time at the point where the center of the useful beam enters the patient.
(15) "Exposure control" shall have the same means as "control panel" as defined in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(16) "Extra-oral" means outside the mouth. An extraoral image is produced by exposing, to x-rays, an image receptor positioned outside the mouth.
(17) "Filter" means material placed in the primary beam to preferentially attenuate selected radiation energies.
(18) "General supervision" means the activity is performed under the qualified supervisor's overall direction and control, but the qualified supervisor's physical presence shall not be required during the activity.
(19) "Inherent filtration" means the filtration permanently in the useful beam, including the window of the X‑ray tube and any permanent tube or source enclosure.
(20) "Intra-oral" means inside the mouth. An intraoral image is produced by exposing a film, plate, or sensor placed within the mouth to X-rays.
(21) "Lead equivalent" means the thickness of lead affording the same attenuation, under specified conditions, as the material in question.
(22) "Licensed dentist" means an individual licensed by the NC Board of Dental Examiners to practice dentistry.
(23) "Letter of Acknowledgement" means the correspondence provided by the agency acknowledging receipt of a shielding design, in accordance with Rule .0204(b) of this Chapter.
(24) "Mobile radiation machine" shall have the same meaning as "Mobile equipment" in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(25) "Notice of Registration" means the correspondence provided by the agency, to the person completing the registration process, containing the information submitted on the agency forms in accordance with Rules .0203 and .0205 of this Chapter.
(26) "Optimal" means desirable or satisfactory.
(27) "Panoramic" means an imaging technique for producing a curved image layer radiograph of maxillary and mandibular dental arches and their supporting structures. This is a curvilinear variant of conventional tomography.
(28) "Personal supervision" means overall direction, control, and training of an individual by a qualified supervisor who shall be physically present during the activities performed by the supervised individual.
(29) "Phototimer" means a method for controlling radiation exposures to image receptors by the amount of radiation that reaches a radiation monitoring device(s). The radiation monitoring device(s) is part of an electronic circuit which controls the duration of time the tube is activated. See also "Automatic exposure control" in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(30) "Portable radiation machine" shall have the same meaning as "Portable equipment" in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(31) "Position indicating device (PID)" means a device on dental radiation machines used to indicate the beam position and to establish a definite source‑skin distance. It may or may not incorporate or serve as a beam-limiting device.
(32) "Primary beam" shall have the same means as "useful beam" as defined in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section and is the beam used to make radiographic images.
(33) "Protective apparel" garments made of a radiation attenuating material used to potentially reduce radiation exposure to an individual wearing the item.
(34) "Qualified expert" means an individual registered in accordance with Rule .0205 of this Chapter.
(35) "Radiation machine" as defined in Rule .0103(b)(10) of this Chapter, shall have the same meaning as "x-ray equipment" as defined in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(36) "Radiation subsystem" shall have the same meaning as X-ray subsystem in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(37) "Radiation system" shall have the same meaning as X-ray system in Rule .0607(b)(19) of this Section.
(38) "Radiograph" means an image receptor on which the image has been created directly or indirectly by an x-ray pattern and results in a permanent record.
(39) "Radiographic imaging system" means any system whereby a permanent or semi-permanent image is recorded on an image receptor by the action of ionizing radiation.
(40) "Scattered radiation" means radiation that, during passage through matter, has been deviated in direction.
(41) "Secondary protective barrier" means a barrier sufficient to attenuate stray radiation.
(42) "Secondary radiation" means the sum of leakage and scattered radiation.
(43) "Shielding design" means the floor plan and structural shielding specifications in accordance with current national standards, demonstrating the barriers which will attenuate radiation so that the dose limit requirements of Rules .1601(a)(8) and .1601(a)(15) of this Chapter are not exceeded.
(44) "Stationary radiation machine" means a radiation machine, components, or system installed and used in a fixed location.
(45) "Structural shielding" means materials incorporated into ceilings, floors, walls, or other structures to ensure the dose limit requirements of Rules .1601(a)(8) and .1601(a)(15) of this Chapter are not exceeded.
(47) "Veterinary technician" means a veterinary technician registered pursuant to Article 11 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes.
History Note: Authority G.S. 104E‑7;
Eff. February 1, 1980;
Amended Eff. June 1, 1993; May 1, 1992; October 1, 1980;
Transferred and Recodified from 15A NCAC 11 .0602 Eff. February 1, 2015;
Readopted Eff. August 1, 2026.