A method is provided for monitoring the exposure to radiation of medical personnel during an X-ray examination of an examination object with an X-ray apparatus. A monitoring unit is activated and continuously scans a first three-dimensional volume that includes a region directly irradiated by the X-ray beam, for objects. When an object is detected, automatic evaluation is performed as to whether the object is a human body part that does not correspond to the examination object and a signal or a display is output if a human body part is determined inside the three-dimensional volume that does not correspond to the examination object.