Unit 4: Fluoroscopy Flashcards
Who invented floro?
Thomas edison
What is responsible in fluoroscopy for the converting of x-rays into visible light?
A phosphor screen
What is a spot film?
Digital images taken without the interruption of the dynamic examination that takes a still picture
What term is used to describe the application of fluoroscopy for the visualization of vessels?
Angiography
What are the 2 main areas of angiography?
- Neuroradiology
- Vascular radiology
True or false?
Not all fluoroscopy treatments aloow digital images (spot films) to be obtianed.
False
What is angiography now reffered to as?
Interventional radiology
True or false?
The mechanisms of the x ray tube production of x-ray photons is the same as general radiography.
True
What is the x-ray tube in fluoroscopy generally operated at in terms of mA?
Less than 5 mA
True or false?
Fluoroscopy tends to have a higher patient dose than general radiography.
True
Does the 15% rule of thumb apply to fluoroscopy?
Yes
True or false?
ABC is always being used in fluoroscopy.
True
How does the fluoroscopy machine maintain ABC?
By varying kVp, mA or both as the x ray tube moves over body parts of differing thickness and attenuation
Why is an image intensifier necessary for the visualization of images in fluoroscopy?
W/o an image intensifier, we would only be using the rods in our eyes to visualize the images produced. An I.I. increases CR and SR.
What is the function of an I.I.?
Converts remnant x ray beams into a high intensity visible light image
What is responsible for converting the remnant x rays and its energy to light in fluoroscopy?
The input phosphor made of cesium iodide (CsI)
Why do we used CsI as the input phosphor in fluoroscopy?
- Has a high intrinic efficiancy which reduces patient dose
- It absorbs 2/3 of the incident beam
- Increase of SR
True or false?
CsI has a low atomic number.
False; high-it results in higher x ray absorption
Why does CsI increase SR?
1. Thinness: Reduces the amount of diverging photons since they dont have to go through as much material
2. Shape of crystals: They help direct light with little lateral dispersion and less blurring
What are the advantages of increasing the image phosphor thickness?
- There is a higher x ray absorption efficiency
- Patient dose is reduced
What are the disadvangaes of increasing the image phosphor thickness?
- Decreased spatial resolution
What is photoemission?
Occurs when the photocathode emits e- when light from the IP strikes it
What is the photocathode made of in fluoroscopy? What is it bonded to?
-Made of cesium and antimony compound
-Bonded directly to the input phosphor
True or false?
The number of e- emitted by the photocathode is indirectly proportional to the intensity of light that reaches it.
False; directly proportional
Why is the image phosphor curved?
To ensure that the e- emitted at the peripheral regions of the photocathode travel the same distance as those emitted from the central region to maintain resolution
How long is the image intensifier?
50 cm long
What is the anode plate in fluoroscopy?
A plate with a hole in the middle which allows e- to pass from the photocathode to the output phosphor attached to it
What is the potential difference in the accelerating anode across the tube between the PC and the anode?
25000-35000 V
What is the term that describes the engineering aspects required to maintain proper e- travel across the accelerating anode?
Electron optics
What is the funciton of electrostatic focusing lenses in fluoroscopy?
Uses negatively charged focusing lenses placed on the inside of the glass envelop to focus all electrons to the output phosphor
What is the point of inversion?
Electron focusing inverts and reverses the image at the focal point (just prior to reaching the O.P.)
True or false?
The output phosphor is smatter than the IP?
True
What is the function of the output phosphor?
Converts electrons to visible light
What do electrons that reach the O.P contain?
The electrons that arrive at the O.P with high KE contain the image of the IP in the minified form.
What is located on the vaccum side of the O.P surface and why?
-A thin Aluminum film coating to allow e- pass through, but prevent light photons from being scattered back to the photocathode. Also serves as a reflector to increase the output luminesence.
What gains occur at the ouput phosphor?
- Flux gain
- Minification gain
- Brighness gain
How many light photons has a photoelectron produced by the time that it arrives at the OP?
It has produced 50-75 times as many light photons as were nescessary to create it.
What is flux gain?
The ratio of the number of light photons at the OP to the number of x ray photons at the IP
What is flux gain caused by?
The acceleration of photoelectrons to a higher kinetic energy
What causes an increase in image brightness in fluoroscopy?
The concentration of photons per unit area from a large input screen onto a small output screen
The amount of photoelectrons hitting the output phosphor is the same as those leaving the IP
True or false.
Minification gain changes contrast by making the image brighter.
False; the minification gain does not change contrast, but it will make the image brighter.
What is the minification gain?
The ratio of the square of the diameter of the input phosphor to the square of the diameter of the output phosphor.
What is the range of sizes of the image phosorphor in fluoroscopy?
Varies from 10-40cm
What is the usual OP diameter?
Ussually 2.5 or 5cm
What is the brighness gain for most image intensifiers?
5000-30000
True or false?
As brightness gain decreases, patient dose increases.
True
Why does brightness gain decrease?
Due to tube age and use
What is the brightness gain?
The increased ilumination of the image due to the multiplication of the light photons at the OP, and the image minifaction from the IP to the OP
How is fluoroscopic magnification achieved?
- Geometrically OR
- Electronically
Will magnification increase or decrease as a patient moves closer to the x ray source?
Increase
True or false?
As SEE increases, so does magnification.
True
Skin entrance exposure
What is the advantage of modern day multi-feild image intensification II?
It procides greater flexibility in fluoroscopic exams since a part of the image or the whole image can be viewed due to the ability to change the diameter of the IP
How is multifield image intenisifcation achieved?
By the ability to manipulate the voltage on the electrostatic lenses