Diagnostic imaging procedures utilizing ionizing radiation are essential in veterinary medicine. However, chronic exposure to ionizing radiation, even at low intensities, can pose a risk to professionals as it is associated with detrimental health effects [1]. One of the most concerning effects is the development of malignant tumors. While there are numerous radioprotection studies on exposure levels in human medical procedures, studies related to veterinary medicine are lacking. Recent studies indicate that professionals conducting procedures with equines either do not use personal protective equipment (PPE) properly or do not use it at all [2,3]. To highlight the importance of PPE, an investigation of radiation protection in equine procedures was conducted using Monte Carlo simulations. The simulations were performed using the Monte Carlo N-Particle 6.2 (MCNP 6.2) code [4]. X-ray spectra were generated using SpekCalc software [5]. The exposure scenarios involved two professionals: a horse and a portable X-ray device. The modeled PPE includes aprons, thyroid protectors, and eyewear, all with 0.5 mmPb. The development of a realistic virtual equine simulator is one of the main contributions of this study. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first equine simulator reported in literature. The conversion coefficients for the effective dose (CC[E]) and equivalent dose (CC[H_T]) were determined using the F6 tally of MCNP6.2 code. The results showed that the use of PPE can reduce CCs by over 90% in organs completely protected by PPE, such as the lungs, bladder wall, and gonads. Protection is lower for organs and tissues that are partially protected, such as the bone surface, brain, and skin. These results indicate that the use of PPE significantly reduces the level of exposure and should therefore be utilized by veterinary radiology professionals in equine procedures.

Aknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the Brazilian agencies CNPq (Grants 312160/2023-2 (L.P.N), 312124/2021-0 (A.P.P), 309675/2021-9 (W.S.S) and 406303/2022-3) and FAPEMIG (Grants APQ-04215-22, APQ-01254-23 and APQ-04348-23). This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 (L.W.G.S)