Scatter Control Bushong Chapter 11 Unit 6 Flashcards
5 x-ray interactions with matter
Classical Coherent Scatter Compton Scatter Photoelectric Interaction Pair Production Photodisintegration
Classical Coherent Scatter
Contributes little to medical image because of low energy levels
No energy loss
No ionization
Directional change
Energies below 10 KeV
Incident x ray interacts with target atom causing it to become excited
Target atom releases excess energy as scattered x ray
Scatter x ray has same wavelength as incident but changes direction
Compton Scatter
Occurs throughout diagnostic range important in x ray imaging reduces energy ionizes atom & changes direction Incident x ray interacts with outer shell electron ejects outer shell electron from atom Incident x ray's direction is angled, deflected can be deflected in any direction
Photoelectric Interaction
X ray is absorbed
Atom is ionized
X ray interacts with inner shell electron ejecting it
Binding energy + photoelectron energy = incident x ray energy.
All of the energy is absorbed
Scatter
Scatter increases with: Increased Field size Increased kVp Increased patient thickness Grids are used for parts over 10cm kVp that is over 60 according to Carlton
Reduction of Scatter on the image
*Decreasing kVp
*Decreasing field size
*Compression
Grids**
Air Gap**
**reduces scatter on image ONLY
*reduces scatter on image and on scatter produced.
X ray energy to scatter ratio
As x ray energy increases, Compton decreases, but photoelectric interaction decreases more rapidly.
This means relative to Photoelectric, as kVp increases, Compton increases.
So when looking at percentage of interaction, raising kVp increases Compton, when compared with Photoelectric
Using Low kVp
Low kVp can not be used all the time because this would increase photoelectric absorption which increases patient dose.
To achieve proper OD we would have to increase mAs which also increases patient dose.
Low kVp techniques would increase patient dose unacceptably.
Field Size
Scatter radiation increases as field size increases.
Reducing scatter results in less OD, so technique may need to be increased.
Since field size is smaller, the increase in technique is acceptable
Density is related to mAs
Beam Restrictors
Aperture diaphragm
Cones or cylinders
Variable aperture collimators
Aperture Diaphragm
Simplest beam restrictor
Lead or lead lined metal diaphragm attached to tube.
Opening usually just smaller than IR
Mostly used in trauma, chest, and dental radiography.
Lead sheet with opening the size of the IR
Cones and Cylinders
Mostly used in specific areas (skull)
Modification of aperture diaphragm
Extended metal structure tube or cone shaped.
Most commonly a cylinder but both are typically called cones.
Must be aligned or one edge may be cut off.
Variable Aperture Collimator
Most commonly used device
shutters reduce beam to desired size
First stage shutters reduce off-focus radiation and protrude from the top of the collimator into the x ray tube housing.
Second stage shutters reduce field size. Usually made of 3mm lead.
First and Second Stage shutters on Variable Aperture Collimator
Work in pairs opposite each other independently controlled.
Can produce a square or rectangle
Light is produced from collimator housing with lamp and angled mirror
Mirror is adjusted so it coincides with x ray field
Must be precise and checked for quality control.
Paper clip test
Off Focus Radiation
Off focus radiation is when electrons interact with areas of the anode other than the focal spot.
It increases blur because it increases the size of the focal spot.
PBL
Positive Beam Limiting Devices
Found in majority of equipment
Mandated by FDA from 1974 removed in 1994.
When film is clamped in bucky a signal is sent to collimator housing to collimate to the appropriate size.
Should still collimate tighter when possible.
Only works in the bucky.
Collimators
Some collimator housings allow for changing filters
Filtration is never completely removed
Some filtration is inherent in tube, some filtration is from mirror.
X ray beam should NEVER exceed size of IR.
Patient Thickness
thicker parts scatter more radiation than thinner parts
type of tissue also effects scatter (lungs vs abdomen)
a 3 cm part vs. a 30 cm part
Average angle of deflection is increased due to multiple scattering.
Compression
Improves both spatial and contrast resolution
lowers patient dose
compression paddle, mammography compression units, compression band
Collimators
Reduce patient dose and improve contrast resolution
Filtration
Filtration is never completely removed
Some filtration is inherent in tube and mirror
Focal spot
controls spatial resolution
Scatter Radiation
controls contrast resolution
Purpose of Grids
Improve contrast
absorbs scatter radiation
Does NOT decrease production of scatter
Primary & Secondary Photons
Primary x ray beam coming from target
Secondary photons- scatter
Primary photons do one of 3 things
Primary photons do one of 3 things:
Transmit: Black image
Absorb: White image
Scatter: Grey image
Differences in absorption and transmission
create contrast on the image
Scatter increases with
increase field size
increase kVp
increased patient thickness
When are grids used?
Patient parts over 10 cm
kVp that is over 60 according to Carlton
Grid Construction
Series of radiopaque strips that alternate with radiolucent interspace strips.
Grid radiopaque strips
Lead is most commonly used for radiopaque material
Grid radiolucent strips
Plastic fiber and aluminum are most commonly used for radiolucent material
Grid Ratio
Ratio of height of lead strips to distance between the strips.
Higher ratio grids absorb more scatter than lower ratio grids
Grid Ratio formula
h= height
D= interspace material
Grid ratio=h/D
Grid Frequency
Number of lead strips per inch or centimeter
Range from 60-200lines per inch
What does using grid ratio and frequency determine?
Ratio and frequency determine the total lead content of the grid.
Does higher lead content grids absorb more scatter?
Higher lead content grids will absorb more scatter than lower lead content grids.
Grid Patterns
Linear: grid strips running in only one direction.
“Crossed”: criss-cross or cross hatched- Grid strips running in 2 directions perpendicular to each other.
What was Bucky’s original grid design?
Crossed
Are linear grids less likely to produce grid lines.
Yes, linear grids are less likely to produce grid lines.
Linear Grids
Allow the radiographer to angle along the grid lines but not against.
Which way do linear grid lines run?
Linear grid lines run along the long axis of the grid, however, some run along the short axis.
Which way will linear grids cut offs produce?
Linear grids will produce cutoff along their lateral edges.