New Mexico: radiation safety rules for fluoroscopy teams

Yes. New Mexico is not on the non-Agreement list, consistent with a May 1, 2026 NRC letter reviewing New Mexico's 20.3.4 revisions for compatibility.

20.3.6 NMAC, "X-Rays in the Healing Arts" (history notes 5-3-95, recompiled 11/27/01; about 30 years old, with a replacement pending). General standards are in 20.3.4 NMAC (effective 4/30/2009, later amended). Related rules are 20.3.1 and 20.3.2 NMAC.

Yes. 20.3.4.404(B) requires each licensee or registrant to keep occupational doses ALARA, which covers X-ray and fluoroscopy registrants. The radiation protection program must be reviewed every 12 months and covered with all employees at hire and annually thereafter (amended 5/1/2024).

Where ALARA lives in New Mexico: Only in a rule shared with radioactive materials. The binding ALARA requirement is in 20.3.4.404(B), which covers both licensees and registrants, and the 20.3.1.6(B) objective also refers to ALARA. Current 20.3.6 never uses the term; its closest wording is the 'minimize… personnel exposure' language in 602(A)(1)(i). The pending draft would add an ALARA objective in 20.3.6.6(B). (20.3.4.404(B); 20.3.1.6(B); 20.3.6.602(A)(1)(i); proposed 20.3.6.6(B))

5 rem (50 mSv) total effective dose equivalent per year for adults; 50 rem (500 mSv) sum of deep dose and committed dose to any organ other than the lens.

15 rem (150 mSv) per year. No lower limit has been adopted, and the 2026 draft keeps 15 rems.

50 rem (500 mSv) shallow dose per year to the skin of the whole body or any extremity.

0.5 rem (5 mSv) to the embryo/fetus of a declared pregnant woman over the entire pregnancy.

Monitoring is required for adults likely to exceed 10% of the annual limits; minors above 1 mSv deep dose, 1.5 mSv lens or 5 mSv skin/extremity; declared pregnant women likely to exceed 1 mSv; and people entering high radiation areas. Paragraph (5) separately lists individuals working with medical fluoroscopic equipment, which may mean all fluoroscopy workers must be badged; its intent is unclear.

With an apron, the whole-body badge goes at the unshielded location of highest exposure, typically the collar; the eye badge goes at the neck outside the apron or closer to the eye. A declared pregnant woman needs a second badge at the waist under the apron. Effective dose rules: a single collar badge counts as the deep dose; if that reading exceeds 25% of the limit it may be multiplied by 0.3; with two badges, effective dose = 1.5 × waist badge + 0.04 × neck badge; other methods need department approval. 20.3.6.602(A)(1)(j) also requires a collar badge outside the apron; the draft would delete this.

Staff must be protected by aprons or whole-body protective barriers of at least 0.25 mm lead equivalent, and any body part in the useful beam needs 0.5 mm. For fluoroscopy scatter, under-table scatter must be attenuated by 0.25 mm Pb eq; above the tabletop, staff must be 120 cm from the beam center or behind 0.25 mm Pb-eq drapes or panels in addition to the apron. The Department may require additional devices. No thyroid shield or eyewear requirement was found. The draft requires a sufficient number of protective apparel to be available.

No current requirement. The pending 20.3.6 draft would require annual integrity evaluation and lead-equivalence labeling of all protective apparel and auxiliary shields, without specifying the method. This is proposed, not in force.

Engineered radiation protection systems are not addressed by name. The rules allow whole-body protective barriers of at least 0.25 mm Pb eq as an alternative to aprons; drapes, panels and curtains under 604(I)(2) are in addition to the apron. The draft would replace 604(I) with 21 CFR 1020.32. No bill or rule like Arizona's or Illinois's was found.

Licensed practitioners (medicine, dentistry, podiatry, chiropractic, osteopathy) need no imaging license. Students may operate under supervision. NMED-licensed radiographers work under a licensed practitioner's supervision, and radiologist assistants (ARRT RRA) work under a radiologist. Limited-practice licensees may not use fluoroscopy. RNs may not perform ionizing procedures unless licensed. PAs and NPs are not licensed practitioners, and no EIB-approved certification program for them was found.

Technologists need an ARRT credential for licensure (24-month licenses; continuing education follows the credentialing organization; limited licensees need 24 Category A hours). No separate fluoroscopy permit or set training hours were found. No physician fluoroscopy training requirement was found in NMED rules (Medical Board rules not checked). Registrants must ensure operators are adequately instructed. The draft adds that operators meet department qualifications.