Radiographic Quality

Radiographic Quality refers to the fidelity with which the anatomic structures being examined are images on the film. Three main factors:

Film Factors Geometric Factors Subject Factors

Radiographic Quality

Characteristic of radiographic quality:

Spatial Resolution (Recorded Detail) Contrast Resolution (Visibility of Detail) Noise (Visibility of Detail)

Spatial Resolution

Spatial Resolution is the ability to image small structures that have high subject contrast such as bone-soft tissue interface. When all of the factors are correct, conventional radiography has excellent spatial resolution.

Contrast Resolution

Contrast resolution is the ability to distinguish structures with similar subject contrast such as liver-spleen, fat-muscle. Computed tomography and MRI have excellent contrast resolution. Convention radiology is fair to poor.

Noise

Noise is an undesirable fluctuation in optical density of the image. Two major types:

Film Graininess- no control over Structure mottle- no control over Quantum Mottle- some control over

Film Graininess

Film graininess refers to the distribution in size and space of the silver halide grains in the film emulsion.
Similar to structure mottle that refers to the size and shape of the phosphors in the intensifying screens. They aret under the control of the technologist, but they contribute little to radiographic noise.

(small number of x-ray photons)

Quantum Mottle

Quantum mottle refers to the random nature of how the x-rays interact with the image receptor. It is the primary form of radiographic noise. The use of high mAs and low kVp reduced quantum mottle.

Quantum Mottle

Very fast screens have higher quantum mottle because it takes fewer x-rays to make the image.

Speed

Resolution and noise are intimately connected with speed. While the speed of the images receptor is not apparent on the image, it influences both resolution and noise.

Radiographic Quality Rules

Fast Image receptors have high noise and low spatial and contrast resolution. High spatial and contrast resolution require low noise and slow image receptors. Low noise accompanies slow image receptors with high spatial and contrast resolution.

Film Factors of Quality

Characteristic curve

Density Contrast Latitude Time Temperature

Processing

Sensitometry

Sensitometry is the study of the relationship between the intensity of exposure of the film and the blackness after the film is processed. Unexposed film is clear with a blue tint after processing. Exposed film is black after processing.

Sensitometry

Two principles involved.

Exposure of the film Amount of light transmitted through the processed film of optical density.

Used to describe the relationship of radiation exposure and blackness or density on the film.

Characteristic Curve

This relationship is called the characteristic curve or H & D curve of the film. H & D stands for Hurter and Driffield.

Parts of the Characteristic Curve

Toe and shoulder where large changes in exposure results in small changes in OD. Very high and very low variations of exposure make very small changes in density.

Parts of the Characteristic Curve

The straight line or intermediate area is where very small changes in exposure results in large changes in density. This is the important part of the curve in radiography.

Log Relative Exposure (LRE)

X-ray films responds to a wide range of exposure from 1 mR to 1000 mR. Exposure is represented on logarithmic manner. An increase in log relative exposure of 0.3 results from doubling the exposure

Optical Density Range

The optical density range is from 0.0 for no density to 4.0 for absolute black. Density of 4 means only 1 in 10,000 light photons is capable of penetrating the x-ray film Useful range in general radiography is from 0.25 to 2.5. 75% of radiographs show image pattern in the range of 0.5 to 1.25 OD OD=Log10(I0/It) I0: incident photons It: transmitted photons
OD always > zero (never equal zero),due to base fog density

Base fog or base density

The tint of the base of the film and the inadvertent exposure of the during processing. Range is from 0.1 to 0.3. Should be never above 0.30 most is .21 OD

Items that Impact Base Fog

Film storage Film exposure to wrong spectrum of light or light intensity. Chemical contamination. Improper processing. High Base fog levels reduce contrast.

Contrast

Radiographic Contrast is the combined result of image receptor contrast and subject contrast. Image receptor contrast refers to the contrast inherent in the film and influenced by the processing of the film.

Contrast

Subject contrast is determined by the size, shape and x-ray attenuating characteristics of the subject being examined and the energy (kVp) of the xray beam.

The average gradient is a straight line drawn between 0.25 OD and 2.0 OD above base plus fog. This is the normal range of density in a radiograph Average gradient range of 2.5 to 3.5
Average gradient=(2+base fog) (0.25+base fog) LRE2 LRE1

Average Gradient

Speed

Speed is the ability of the receptor to respond to low x-ray exposure. The H & D curse is useful in comparing speed when selecting film or screens. Image receptor A is higher speed than image receptor B

LATITUDE

Latitude can be observed on the H & D curve. Latitude refers to the range of exposure that will produce a diagnostic range OD (acceptable image)

Latitude

Latitude and Contrast are inversely proportional. Wide latitude has a long scale contrast or low contrast. (B) Narrow latitude has a short scale contrast or high contrast. (A)

Film Processing

Radiographic Quality is impacted by film processing parameters. The developer must be at the proper concentration and at the correct temperature.

Film Processing

The film must also spend the correct amount of time in the developer. This is the time & temperature relationship.

Processing

Speed and base fog increase with the temperature. Contrast will increase to a point and then drop with the base fog increase. Manufactures set processing parameters to optimize speed, contrast and low base fog. The fog level increases with increasing temp, as does x-ray film speed

Distortion

Distortion is the misrepresentation of the true size and shape of the object being radiographed (unequal magnification of different portions of the same object) The amount of distortion depends upon -the size (thickness) and shape -and the position of the object

Thickness

Thick objects are more distorted than thin objects because of the greater change in Object Image Distance (OID)

Thickness

The position of the object relative to the central axis will cause greater distortion with thick and/or irregular shaped objects.

Object Position

If the object plane and image plane are parallel the image will not be distorted. If the object plane and image plane are not parallel, distortion will occur.

End of Lecture