Image Receptors Flashcards
What are the 2 types of image receptors
Film and digital
What is film split Into
Direct action and indirect action
What is digital split into
Solid state and phosphor plate
What is solid state split into
CCD and CMOS
What is direct action film
•Used for intra oral radiographs
•Shows fine anatomical detail
•Film sensitive to X-ray photons
What is the construction of direct action film
•Plastic base
–Clear and transparent
–Cellulose acetate
•Thin layer of adhesive
–Fixes emulsion to base
•Emulsion
–On both sides of base
–Silver halide (usually bromide) crystals
–Sensitive to xray photons
•Protective layer
–Clear gelatin
–Shields emulsion from mechanical damage
Describe Direct action film packet
•Outer packet
–Sealed to prevent saliva ingress
•Black paper lining
–Protects film from light
–Prevents damage when opening packet
–Absorbs saliva
•Lead foil
–Absorbs radiation passing through film
–Prevents backscatter back onto film.
Describe Direct Action Film Orientation
•Embossed dot on one corner
•Raised dot placed towards X-ray beam
•Raised dot at occlusal plane for periapical
•When mounted, raised dot towards the viewer.
What is indirect X-ray film used in combination with
intensifying screen in a cassette
What is indirect action film
Intensifying screen sensitive to x-ray photons and emits light photons
What extra oral projections use indirect action film?
–Oblique lateral radiographs
–Skull radiographs
–Panoramic radiographs
What is the construction of indirect action film
•Silver halide emulsion sensitive predominantly to light
•Made to be sensitive to different colours
–Standard silver halide sensitive to BLUE light
–Modified silver halide emulsion with ultraviolet sensitizers sensitive to UV light
–Orthochromatic emulsion sensitive to GREEN light
–Panchromatic emulsion sensitive to RED light.
What is a intensifying screen
Fluorescent phosphors convert x-ray energy into light photons by the photoelectric effect
How many light photons are made from one X-ray photon
One X-ray photon will produce many light photons
–Light photons will expose a larger area of film emulsion
–Amount of radiation to expose film (dose) reduced at cost of resolution (fine detail)
What must be matched to the sensitivity of film and why
Phosphor material must be matched to sensitivity of film as different phosphors will emit different wavelength (colour) light
What are cassettes
•House the image receptor and intensifying screen together
•Light-tight container
•Film sandwiched between two intensifying screens
What are the 5 stages in film processing
•Development
–Sensitized silver halide crystals in emulsion are converted to black metallic silver
•Washing
–Removes residual developer solution
•Fixation
–Unsensitized silver halide crystals removed
•Washing
–Removes residual fixer solution
•Drying
2 things that image receptors allow us to do
•Allow us to describe the way in which the film responds to the x-ray or light photons incident on it
•Allow us to compare features of different imaging systems
Describe speed in image receptors
–How ‘quickly’ the image receptor responds to the x-ray photons incident on it
–Related to number and size of silver halide crystals in the emulsion
How does speed effect image size?
Faster speed = larger crystals
How does speed effect X-ray dose
Faster speed = lower dose of x-rays
How does crystal size effect resolution
larger crystals = lower resolution
Describe optical density in image receptors
–Degree of blackening in a radiograph
–OD= log (incident light/transmitted light)
OD = 0, 100% of light is transmitted through the film
OD = 1, 10% of light is transmitted
OD = 2, 1% of light is transmitted
–In diagnostic radiology the range of optical densities is usually 0.25-2.5 (no units for OD)
–Affected by beam quality and quantity (mA, kV, exposure time and filtration), thickness of object and background fog
Describe fog in image receptors
–Degree of blackening with zero exposure
–Caused by
•Density of plastic base
•Development of some unexposed crystals
–Fog density should be < 0.2
What is a characteristic curve
Variation in optical density with different exposures
What is the latitude
–Range of exposures that produce distinguishable differences in OD
–Linear portion of characteristic curve