Radiation protection: ten day rule: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Radiology · Radiation protection: ten day rule

Sample item

A 28-year-old woman with a regular cycle needs an elective lumbar spine radiograph series. Under the traditional ten day rule, when should it be scheduled?

AAt any time, as the rule does not existBIn the first 10 days after the start of menstruationCOnly in the second half of the cycleDIn the last 10 days of the cycle

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. In the first 10 days after the start of menstruation

The ten day rule says elective examinations that expose the pelvis or lower abdomen should be done in the first ten days of the cycle, when pregnancy is very unlikely. It aims to avoid irradiating a conceptus unknowingly.

Option by option

A. At any time, as the rule does not exist
The rule exists as a long-standing protective practice for elective examinations.
B. In the first 10 days after the start of menstruation (correct)
Correct. The first ten days after menses begin are the safest window.
C. Only in the second half of the cycle
The second half of the cycle is when an early pregnancy is more likely.
D. In the last 10 days of the cycle
Late-cycle timing carries the highest chance of an undetected conception.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is B, In the first 10 days after the start of menstruation. The ten day rule says elective examinations that expose the pelvis or lower abdomen should be done in the first ten days of the cycle, when pregnancy is very unlikely.

Why is "At any time, as the rule does not exist" not the answer?

The rule exists as a long-standing protective practice for elective examinations.

Why is "Only in the second half of the cycle" not the answer?

The second half of the cycle is when an early pregnancy is more likely.

Why is "In the last 10 days of the cycle" not the answer?

Late-cycle timing carries the highest chance of an undetected conception.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Radiation protection: ten day rule in Radiology. It aims to avoid irradiating a conceptus unknowingly.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Radiation protection: ten day rule?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.