WHA for Medical Shielding & X-Ray Imaging
Elmet is a world leader in delivering state of the art, precision machined WHA products to the medical shielding & x-ray imaging industry. Elmet works meticulously with leading system OEMs to develop solutions that both deliver the high-performance expectations of patients and meet the goals of care providers – reducing dosage, exposure times, and cost. Our industry-leading expertise in WHA materials and application knowledge puts us at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies and medical solutions.
To discuss your tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) requirements for medical, shielding, X-ray or imaging applications – contact the experts at [email protected]. We look forward to partnering with you on your next project!
Why use WHA for Medical Applications?
Primarily due to Tungsten Heavy Alloy’s (WHA’s) high density, which is nearly two times greater than lead, one of the many benefits of this category of high density material is its inherent ability to attenuate electromagnetic radiation of specific wavelengths. Tungsten and WHAs are of course inherently opaque and thus impervious to optical rays, and this characteristic extends well beyond the visible spectrum of light and into the spectral realm of energy such as ionizing radiation.
What is ionizing radiation?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Ionizing radiation is a type of energy released by atoms that travels in the form of electromagnetic waves (gamma or X-rays) or particles (neutrons, beta or alpha). The spontaneous disintegration of atoms is called radioactivity, and the excess energy emitted is a form of ionizing radiation.”
WHA in X-Ray Shielding Applications for the Medical Industry
WHAs are ideal for X-ray shielding applications in the medical industry. Elmet alloys pure tungsten with calculated weight percentages of (typically) iron, and/or nickel. Specialty mill runs for custom alloys are available – contact Elmet to discuss!
The alloying of tungsten makes it easier for Elmet to produce the complex shapes and forms design engineers developed for critical medical devices & technologies. Due to WHA’s exceptional radiation management capabilities, these alloys are used in advanced radiation therapies as well as diagnostic medicine practices. Collimators, including multi-leaf variants are also enabled by the complex shapes available and mechanical properties of WHAs which Elmet processes have perfected during its 9 plus decades of continuous improvement. Unfortunately, cancer rates continue to rise not only in the US, but the rest of the world as well. Elmet is proud to play a critical role in specific cancer therapies which extend and improve human quality of life. Cancer therapies, because of the materials science and engineering dedication from the Elmet team, have become more sophisticated as the need for radiation treatment systems grow.
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS | PRODUCTS |
| Computed Tomography (CT) / Imaging technologies | Collimators (1D and 2D)
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| X-Ray technologies | X-Ray shielding
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| Nuclear medicine shielding | Shielding, dose containers, wire
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| Surgical robots | Cathodes (flat and wound)
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Other applications:
- Radiation shielding materials
- Lead shielding replacement
- Multileaf collimators
- Medical isotope
- Syringe shields
- Radioactive source containers
- Radiotherapy machines
- X-Ray and CT security machines
- Oncology instruments and treatment systems
X-Ray Systems | CT Systems | Radiation Therapy | Robots and Devices |
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Application Highlight: Radiation and Lead Shielding Materials
Tungsten alloys are excellent options for shielding radiations, thanks to their high density and strength. Elmet’s ASTM B777 Class 1, 2, 3 and 4 tungsten alloys are used by leading CT and oncology system producers to ensure the safest possible operation.
Application Highlight: Multileaf Collimators
Our tungsten alloys are also used in various therapeutic and diagnostic medical technologies. For multileaf collimators, Elmet’s tungsten heavy machined plates are used in comprising the individual leaves moving independently both in and out of a particle beam’s path. The multileaf collimator directs a beam while focusing radiotherapy treatments to appropriately conformed shapes, thereby ensuring patients receive correct therapy doses.
Elmet: Your Medical & Shielding WHA Partner
Elmet has a range of medical WHA products for a wide array of medical applications and their team is always willing and ready to take on new product and or technology challenges!
To learn more about medical shielding & x-ray applications, contact our team today to discuss your WHA requirements.