AASIF MAJEED LONE
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
CENTURION UNIVERSITY
X –ray film is photographic film consisting of a
photographically active or radiation-sensitive, emulsion.
It displays the radiographic images of an object.
The x-ray film is made up of different layers, which are
1. Base
2. Subbing layer
3. Emulsion layer
4. Super coat
It provide a support for the emulsion layer.
It transmit light so that image can be viewed.
It is extremely strong, virtually untearable and demonstrate
high dimensional stability, even under the most rigorous
manufacturing or processing conditions.
Material used to make film base:
a. Glass Plates – used in past, thin layer of emulsion on one side.
b. Cellulose Nitrate – used in 1994, highly inflammable.
c. Cellulose Tri acetate – adopted in 1924, non-inflammable.
d. Polyester – adopted in 1960, made up polyethylene
terephthalate resin.
Medical x-ray films are 0.18 mm but fluoroscopy roll films are
0.08 mm in thickness.
Transparent
Flexible
Untearable
Uniform thickness and colour
Impermeable to water and processing chemical
Non-inflammable
Chemically inactive
Dimensionally stable throughout processing
Also known as adhesive or substratum layer, required
between the base and the emulsion.
It ensure adherences of emulsion layer to the smooth and
shiny base material during coating stage in manufacture.
It prevent any separation of the emulsion layer from base
during processing.
It is a mixture of gelatine solution and solvent of the film
base.
The coloured dye may be added to eliminate the crossover or
transmission effect.
Emulsion is an active layer of the film.
Photographic emulsion consist of gelatine and silver halide.
Silver halides crystal contain 90% silver bromide and 10% silver
iodide.
Its thickness varies with the film type but is usually no thicker
than 0.5 mm.
A thicker emulsion would not be useful because of the inability
of light to penetrate to the deeper layers.
Kodak uses T- Grain technology in emulsion layer, increase
sensitivity and there by its speed.
A light absorbing dye magenta dye is added to the surface of
grain to further increase the sensitivity of layer and absorbing
irradiated light within the emulsion.
It is a thin layer of clear gelatine which is applied to the
emulsion.
It has two prime functions:
a. It protect the sensitive emulsion from the effects of light
pressure or abrasion which might occur during use. It results
dark spots or patches on the processed film. It is sometime
called as anti- abrasive layer.
b. It provide suitable surface characteristics.
It is only present in single-sided emulsion sheet films.
During processing the emulsion layer swell up, the film as a
whole tendency to curl.
To prevent curling tendency of film, the emulsion layer is
balanced by coating the base on the opposite side.
Firstly it is coated with subbing layer and then with a layer of
gelatine.
It is similar thickness with emulsion stratum and has
absorbent qualities.
It is not present in roll films.
During image formation, some of the incident light pass the
emulsion and reach the base.
The light may either pass out or totally be reflected back
towards the emulsion.
Such reflected light will produce a diffuse image or halo
around the proper image.
This phenomenon is known as halation.
It is present in single-sided emulsion film and might be occur
in duplitized emulsion.
Method of preventions:
a. Adding a dye to non-curl backing
b. Adding a dye to the base
Duplitized Emulsion Films Single-sided Emulsion Films
A. Direct Exposure Film A. Screen-Type Film
1.Intra-oral dental films B. Duplication Film
i. Periapical C. Subtraction Film
ii. Occlusal
iii. Bitewing
2. Kidney surgery film
3. Radiation monitoring film
B. Screen Types Films
i. Periapical – 31 × 41 mm, use for single or group of teeth.
ii. Occlusal – 57 × 76 mm, for imaging mandible or maxillae
in the occlusal plane.
iii. Bitewing – 31 × 41 mm, use for demonstrating the
crown.
it has custom-made flap to position vertically
behind the upper and lower teeth, the patient biting the flap.
WRAPPING
The outer waterproof packet protect the film from
moisture, while the paper insert afford some
protection from pressure.
Lead foil insert act as a attenuator of back-
scattered radiation.
It is little thicker emulsion than ordinary duplitized
film
The tube side has embossed dot.
It is used in conjunction with pairs of intensifying screens.
Latent image produced by light emission from screen
phosphors.
A wide range of films are available:
a. Blue-sensitive film (monochromatic)
b. Green-sensitive film (orthochromatic)
These film have varying in speed, contrast, latitude and
resolving power.
13 × 18 cm
15 × 30 cm
15 × 40 cm
20 × 40 cm
18 × 24 cm
30 × 40 cm
35 × 35 cm
It is used in conjunction with a cassette fitted with a single
intensifying screen.
The films are medium to high contrast with definition, capable
of demonstrating micro calcification in soft tissue.
It is use in mammography.
It is used to make a copy of a radiograph.
The radiograph to be copied is placed in intimate contact with
a special film material known as duplicating film.
The film is exposed to uv light through the original radiograph
and the result after processing is a radiograph which is
identical to the original.
It is a single coated film which is having reversal
characteristics.
It has anti-halation layer which dissolve away during
processing.
It is available in the ranges of sizes.
It is suitable for rapid automatic processing.
It is used in angiography.
It is having single sided emulsion to minimize photographic
unsharpness.
It is having anti-halation layer.
It has polyester film base suitable for automatic processing.
It is mainly available in 12” × 15” and 14” × 17” format.
It was introduced in the 1970’s.
The diagnostic x-ray images are acquired in a digital format.
It uses phosphor plate which exhibit photon stimulated
luminescence.
A phosphor-coated imaging plate replace the scree-film
system.
The imaging plate has high sensitivity to x-ray, good
resolution and offers a novel method of image formation with
potential for further development.
It looks like conventional intensifying screen.
It contains Barium fluorobromide and Barium fluoroiodide
crystal.
It is activated with small amount of Europium.
Doping of Europium create defects to trap the electrons.
The defect form here is called F-center.
The light emitted by phosphor crystal are in blue spectrum
region.
PSP plate are thermoluminiscent in nature.
1. Exposure to x-radiation
2. Stores pattern of energy from x-ray beam as latent image
3. PSP plate is placed in readout unit
4. It is stimulated by He-Ne laser light of diameter 100 µm.
5. The phosphor stimulated and store energy is release in
visible light.
6. The light is conveyed to PMT by fiber optic light guide.
7. PMT generates electronic signal and it is digitized and
stored
8. A hard copy is made by printer
