CAMRT Review: Apparatus And Image Flashcards
Principle components of x-ray equipment?
- Operating Console
- X-ray tube assembly
- High voltage generator
2 types of tables?
- Tilting: fixed height, but tilts
2. Fixed: adjustable height, but no tilt
Types of X-ray tubes?
- Crookes: no vacuum, gas filled, 1mA station
2. Coolidge: vacuum, glass/metal envelope, various mA stations
Function of the tube housing?
- hold and protect tube: structure and support
- dissipate heat
- reduce leakage radiation
Function of the glass/metal envelope?
-maintain a vacuum
Which kind of envelope (glass or metal) extends tube life by preventing arcing?
Metal
Function of the cathode?
Provide a source of electrons
Parts of the cathode?
- Filament
- Focusing cup
Purpose of filament? What is it made out of?
- Boils off electrons through thermionic emission
- thoriated tungsten
Why is the filament made out of thoriated tungsten?
- high atomic # (74)
- high melting point (3410)
- thorium increases thermionic emission and extends filament life
Function of the anode?
- Electrical conductor: some electrons interact, the rest continue as current and flow through the circuit
- Mechanical support for target
- Thermal dissipator: overheating will cause pitting, cracking, melting
Types of anodes?
- Stationary: doesn’t rotate, electrons hit the same spot and heat builds up faster (only small exposures)
- Rotating: focal track (500x bigger target area)
What is the anode target made out of?
- molybdenum core with tungsten coating
- would be too heavy if all tungsten
- tungsten adds mechanical strength
What is the anode shaft made out of?
- molybdenum with a copper coating
- copper is a good thermal and electrical conductor
- molybdenum has a low thermal conductivity and is light weight
Parts of an induction motor?
- Stator: electromagnets outside of the envelope, energized in opposing pairs to induce a current in the rotor with a magnetic field
- Rotor: iron core surrounded by a copper cuff inside the envelope
What happens when the exposure switch is pressed halfway down?
- Rotor is accelerating
- filament heats up and begins to boil off electrons
What happens when the exposure switch is pressed halfway?
- voltage goes to cathode and anode
- created potential difference between the cathode and anode
4 ways to extend tube life?
- Minimize exposure factors
- Utilize faster image receptors
- Warm up anode (small exposures)
- Use shortest exposure time possible
What is the main factor/cause of tube failure?
Heat (vaporization)
What is the line focus principle?
Relationship between the actual and effective focal spot
What does the line focus principle allow?
Allows for a larger area for heating while maintaining a small focal spot (angling target)
Are the actual and effective spot directly or indirectly related?
Directly
What is the actual focal spot controlled by? (4 things)
- Filament length, size, shape
- Target angle
- Charge on focusing cup
- Depth of filament in focusing cup
What is a bi-angle target?
- 2 focal tracks = 2 target angles
- filaments are stacked
Limitations of the line focus principle?
- heat
- too small of an angle = too small field size
What causes the anode heel effect?
Line focus principle
What is the anode heel effect?
The intensity of the beam on the anode side is less than on the cathode side
Min and max of anode heel effect beam% from anode to cathode?
Anode: as low as 75%
Cathode: as high as 120%
The anode heel effect is most apparent with what 2 things?
- Large IR size
- Shorter SID
What is an atom?
The smallest particle that has all of the properties of an element
What is contained in the nucleus of an atom?
- Neutrons
- Protons
What is ionization?
When an atom gains or loses an electron, becomes charged, and is now an ion
2 forces holding electrons in orbit around an atom?
Centripetal: inward pulling, center seeking
Centrifugal: outward pulling
What is the binding energy?
Strength of an attachment of an electron to the nucleus, the closer to the nucleus = higher binding energy
What happens to the binding energy with a higher atomic number?
Increased atomic number = increased binding energy because there are more protons in the nucleus and that makes a stronger positive pull
What is excitation?
When an electron is infused with energy and jumps to a different shell, it releases energy (non-ionizing)when is returns to its original spot
2 types of radiation (interactions) produced at the anode?
- Characteristic
2. Bremsstrahlung
What is characteristic radiation?
When an incident electron hits an INNER SHELL electron and removes it (if energy is greater than binding energy). An OUTER SHELL electron drops in to fill the vacancy and gives off characteristic radiation
What is Bremsstrahlung radiation?
When an incident electron misses the orbital electrons and gets close to the nucleus. It is influenced by the positive charge of the nucleus. It slows down (releases energy = Brems radiation) and changed direction
-more change in direction = stronger radiation given off
What is the emission spectrum?
-a graph of the number of x-ray photons and the range of energies the photons possess at a given exposure setting
What is keV?
Killoelectron volt is used to measure binding energies and the energy of the incident photon
What is kVp?
-the forced with which incident electrons interact with the tungsten target
What controls keV?
kVp
A majority of the electrons have what percentage of the peak energy (kVp)?
Majority of electrons are 30-40% of peak energy
At what energy level can Brems radiation be produced?
Any level
At what energy level can Characteristic radiation be produced?
Only occurs between certain energies (must be higher than binding energies)
What does the spike on the characteristic emission spectrum represent?
The binding energies of the target material
Ex. Tungsten = 69.5keV
What is mA?
The quantity of electrons
How does mA affect the spectrum?
Increase mA = increase amplitude of spectrum because increase in # of xrays
What is mAs?
The number of x-rays sent across the tube in 1 second
What is kVp in regard to x-rays?
Quality/strength of radiation
How does kVp affect the emission spectrum?
-Increased kVp = curve moves up and to the right because the average energy is increased and more x-rays are being produced
What do we do to kVp to double the amount of photons?
Increase kVp by 15%
What happens to characteristic radiation if we increase the atomic number of the target material?
Increases the efficiency of characteristic radiation because the binding energy for each shell increases
What happens to Brems radiation when we increase the atomic number of the target material?
Increases Brems radiation because there is a more positive pull from the nucleus’
Image quality factors: photographic properties? (2)
- Radiographic Density
2. Optical Density
What is radiographic density? What effects it?
The amount of overall blackness on an image
-affected by prime exposure factors (kVp, mA, time, SID)
What is optical density? How is it measured? What is it affected by?
Degree of blackening on a radiograph
- measured from 0-4 (human vision is 0.25 to 2.5)
- > 3 = black
- <0.2 clear
- affected by mAs (direct relationship) and SID
What is the reciprocity law?
Any combination of mA and time that results in the same mAs will produce the same density
In what situations is the reciprocity law useful?
- motion (trauma/peds)
- focal spot size
- breathing techniques
By what % must mAs be changed for us to notice a visible difference on the image?
30%
What does kVp control?
Contrast
What does mAs control?
Density
Decreased kVp = _________ density?
Decrease kVp = decreased density
How to double and halve the density by changing kVp
Double: kVp x 1.15
Half: kVp x 0.85
The 15% rule for kVp is most effective at (higher or lower) kVps?
Higher kVps
What is a latent image?
The image before its processed
What is differential absorption?
The process where some of the beam is absorbed and some is transmitted
-different body parts absorb the beam differently depending on what they are made up of
Beam attenuation consists of what 3 things?
- Absorption
- Scatter
- Transmission
Types of beam absorption?
- Photoelectric effect
- Pair Production
- Photodisintegration
Types of scatter?
- Compton Scatter
2. Coherent Scatter
What is the photoelectric effect/photoelectric absorption?
- Complete absorption of an x-ray photon by inner shell electron
- INNER SHELL electron ejected (photoelectron) after if absorbs x ray photon
- outer shell electron drop in to fill the spot (characteristic radiation)
- atom is ionized
The probability of photoelectric interactions increases when…?
The energy levels of the incoming x-ray photon and the binding energy of the electron are closer together
What is Compton Scatter?
- Incoming x-ray photon ejects an OUTER SHELL electron and the electron is scattered (compton electron, secondary electron)
- photon loses energy and changes direction, can leave the body and interact with IR
What happens to absorption and scatter with a higher kVp?
Less overall interactions, but more of them are scatter
Why are is scatter and issue?
- Degrade image
- Contribute nothing useful to the image
- Also known as image fog
Increased kVp = ________ # of interactions?
Increased kVp = DECREASED # of interactions
Increased kVp = _____ # of transmitted photons
Increased kVp = INCREASED # of transmitted photons
Increased kVp = ________ compton scatter?
increased kVp = INCREASED compton scatter
Increase kVp = increased fog = ________ overall density?
Increased kVp = increased fog = INCREASED overall density
Increase kVp = _________ contrast?
Increased kVP = DECREASED contrast
Increased kVp = ________ patient dose
Increased kVp = DECREASED patient dose (more photons transmitted, but if scatter is absorbed by the body it contributes to patient dose)
What is exponential absorption?
For every increment of thickness, x-rays decrease in number by a certain percentage (never reaches 0)
What is SID?
The distance between the focal spot and the image receptor
Increased SID = _______ density?
Increased SID = DECREASED density because you have the same number of photons, but a larger area to cover (flashlight)
Inverse Square Law?
I1/I1 = D2^2/D1^2
Density Maintenance Formula?
mAs1/mAs2 = SID1^2/SID2^2
In what situations would we use the density maintenance formula?
- portables
- to fit larger parts to a receptor
- patient condition
What is OID?
Object to image distance
Increased OID = __________ scatter = _______ density?
Increased OID = DECREASED scatter = DECREASED density
Types of body habitus?
- Sthenic
- Asthenic
- Hyposthenic
- Hypersthenic
2 types of pathologies?
- Destructive: increases radiolucency
2: Constructive: increased radiopacity
3 types of filtration?
- Inherent: can’t be adjusted, built it, glass/metal envelope
- Added: can be adjusted, aluminum most common, must adjust techniques to compensate
- Compensating: balance intensity to deliver a uniform exposure across IR
How does filtration affect the beam?
- Increased beam quality
- Increased penetrability
- Removes low energy photons
Increased filtration = ________ scatter = ______ contrast?
Increased filtration = INCREASED kVp = DECREASED contrast
What is a beam restrictor?
A device that attaches to the x-ray tube housing to regulate the size and shape of the beam
Controls and minimizes scatter by limiting the x-ray field soze
3 pros of beam restrictors?
- Limit patient exposure
- Reduce scatter
- Increase contrast
What is off-focus radiation? What does it cause?
Electrons that stray and hit the anode in a different spot Causes penumbra (fuzzy edge of image)
Increased beam restrictor distance from tube = _______ off focus radiation and penumbra
DECREASED
Types of beam restrictors?
- Aperture Diaphragm
- Cones/Cylinders
- Variable Aperture Collimator
What is an aperture diaphragm?
- flat piece of lead of lead lines material that fits onto the tube head
- field size controlled by the size of the opening, shape of opening, and SID
- inexpensive/easy to use
- must have multiple diaphragms
- large penumbra (close to focal spot)
What is a cone/cylinder?
- extension cone/cylinder on aperture diaphragm
- field size is determined by the size and position of the distal end
- inexpensive and easy to use, decrease penumbra
- fixed field size, shape is round, doesn’t restrict primary beam
What is a variable aperture collimator?
-2 sets of shudders: entrance control off focus radiation and 2nd stage, light and mirror
What is Positive Beam Limitation?
Automatic collimators adjust to the size of a cassette put in tray to ensure field size isn’t larger than IR
does not replace manual collimation
3 factors affecting scatter?
- kVp
- field size (smaller field size = less matter = less scatter)
- patient thickness (more matter more scatter)
Decreasing field size = _______ density
Decreasing field size = DECREASED density because there are fewer photons hitting the IR
If you increase collimation, you should ________ exposure factors?
INCREASE
What is the most effective way to reduce scatter?
Grids
What is grid frequency?
The number of lead lines per unit length
Will a high frequency show more or less grid lines on an image?
Less because the strips are thinner
What is grid ratio?
The height of the strips vs the distance between them
Grid ratio formula?
Grid ratio = h/d
Increased grid ratio = __________ contrast?
Increased grid ratio = INCREASED contrast
3 things about higher ratio grids
- they remove more scatter
- require accurate positioning
- prone to grid errors
What is grid cut off?
Absorption of the primary beam by the lead strips
How does grid cut off affect density?
Decreases density
Grid patterns?
- Linear (parallel and focused)
2. Crossed
What is a parallel grid?
- lead strips run parallel
- can’t avoid grid cut off
- decreasing density towards the sides
What is a focused grid?
- lead strips are angled to match diverging rays
- less grid cut off
- even density
What is a crossed grid?
- lead strips cross
- tube can’t be angled
- precise positioning required
- clean up lots of scatter
What is a convergent point?
- where imaginary lines drawn up from the strips on a focused grid would meet
- if the points were connected: “convergent line”
What is focal distance/grid radius?
The distance between the grid and convergent point/line
What is a focal range regarding grids?
Recommended range of SIDs that can be used with a focused grid
Types of moving grids?
- Reciprocating
2. Oscillating
Why do we use moving grids?
Prevent grid lines
Moving grid disadvantages?
- requires bulky mechanism that can fail
- increased OID
- motion can be transferred from to cassette holding device
Moving grid errors?
- incorrect grid installation
- grid movement with grid lines
Stationary grid errors? (4)
- Off level: grid/tube is angled, loss of density over entire image
- Off-center: CR is not aligned side to side with center of focused grid, overall loss of density
- Off-focus: SID out of focal range, increased cut off with increased grid ratio, loss of density along edges
- Upside down: grid upside down, severe grid cut off on edges
Another name for off-center grid error?
Lateral decentering
Grid Conversion Formula?
mAs1/mAs2 = GCF1/GCF2
When do we use the grid conversion formula?
Used when converting to a grid with a different ratio
Grid (Bucky) Factors?
No grid: 1
5: 1:2
8: 1:4
12: 1:5
16: 1:6
Contrast Improvement Factor Formula?
K= image contrast with grid/ image contrast without grid
If you have a contrast improvement factor of 1, what does that mean?
No improvement seen
What is the air gap technique?
Method to reduce scatter, move part 10-15cm away from IR
Disadvantages of the air gap technique?
- magnification of part
- image blur
- not effective with high kVps
- increase technique to maintain density
What are exposure timers for?
Make or break high voltage across the tube
4 types of exposure timers?
- Synchronous
- Electronic
- mAs
- AEC
How does a synchronous timer work?
- electric motor drives a shaft at 60rpm
- exposure time determines the time it takes to move from the on switch to the off switch
- has to be reset in between exposures
How does an electronic timer work?
- most sophisticated, expensive, accurate
- complex circuitry based on time it takes to charge a capacitor through a variable resistance (shorter exposure times charge faster)
- capacitor takes a preprogrammed charge, once it is charges the exposure stops
- ex. 1 seconds exposure: the resistance is increased so that it takes 1 second to charge the capacitor
How does an mAs timer work?
- monitors current going through tube and will terminate the exposure when the set mAs is achieved
- located in the SECONDARY circuit in order to measure actual tube current
How does an AEC timer work?
- only controls time
- measures the quantity of radiation reaching the IR and will terminate exposure when require radiation quantity has been received
2 types of AEC?
- Photodiode/Phototimer
2. Ionization Chamber
How does a photodiode/phototimer version of AEC work?
- exit type (behind IR)
- converts light to electrical energy
- once certain charge is reached, exposure is terminated
How does an ionization chamber type of AEC work?
- entrance type (between patient and IR)
- air inside cell becomes ionized when hit with radiation
- created an electrical charge
- when predetermined charge is reaches, exposure is terminated
What happens when more than 1 AEC cell is selected?
The average signal is used
What does a backup timer do?
Protects the patient from overexposure
1.5 times the expected length of exposure
Max 6 seconds (may need to override for larger body parts)
What does density control do?
Regulates radiographic density of image
Steps of density control? How much change is there between steps?
-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3
Increase/decrease 0.1, about a 25% change from step to step