5. Intensifying Screens Flashcards
device found in radiographic cassettes that contains phosphors to convert x-ray energy into light, which then exposes the radiographic film
Intensifying Screen
Intensifying Screen layers
- Protective layer
- Phosphor layer
- Reflecting or Absorbing layer
- Base
10-20 micrometer thick
Protective Coating
protects the screen from abrasion, helps eliminate static, and provides surface for cleaning
Protective Coating
active layer
Phosphor layer
50-300 micrometer
Phosphor layer
Phosphor materials
calcium tungstate, zinc sulfide, barium lead sulfate, and rare earth oxysulfides such as gadolinium, lanthanum, and yttrium
approx. 25 micrometer thick made of magnesium oxide or titanium dioxide
Reflective layer
furthest from the film
Base
approx. 1 mm thick, made of polyester
Base
serves as mechanical support for active phosphor layer
Base
intensifies x-rays reducing radiation dose
Intensifying screen
emission of visible light
Luminescence
emission of light during stimulation
Fluorescence
afterglow
Phosphorescence
emission of light after stimulation
Phosphorescence
identified by relative speed ranging from 50 (slow, detail) to 1200 (very fast)
Screen speed
Characteristic Type of Phosphor
- Color of emission
- Approximate speed
- Intensification factor
- Spatial resolution (lp/mm)
Typical Radiographic Intensifying Screens
- Calcium Tungstate
- Oxysulfides and Oxybromides of Y, La, Gd
La
Lanthanum (57)
Y
Yttrium (39)
Gd
Gadolinium (64)
Color of emission (Calcium Tungstate)
Blue
Color of emission (Oxysulfides and Oxybromides of Y, La, Gd)
Green or blue
Approximate speed (Calcium Tungstate)
50-200
Approximate speed (Oxysulfides and Oxybromides of Y, La, Gd)
80-1200
Intensification factor (Calcium Tungstate)
20-100
Intensification factor (Oxysulfides and Oxybromides of Y, La, Gd)
40-400
Spatial resolution in lp/mm (Calcium Tungstate)
8-15
Spatial resolution in lp/mm (Oxysulfides and Oxybromides of Y, La, Gd)
8-15
Intensification Factor
IF = Exposure required without screen/ Exposure required with screens
ratio of the exposure required to produce the same OD with a screen to the exposure required to produce and OD without a screen
Intensification Factor
the relationship between intensification factor and entrance skin exposure
inversely proportional
the _____ the ESE (patient dose), the ____ IF
larger ESE,
smaller IF
uncontrollable factors affecting speed
- Phosphor Composition
- Phosphor Thickness
- Reflective Layer
- Dye
- Crystal Size
- Concentration of Phosphor Crystals
controllable factors affecting speed
- Radiation Quality
- Image Processing
- Temperature
rare earth phosphors efficiently convert x-rays into usable light
Phosphor Composition
the thicker the phosphor layer, the _____ is the detective quantum effiecient
higher
have thick phosphor layers
High-speed screens