ORAL RADIOLOGY
PRACTICAL PART
X-RAY MACHINE
History of Xray
Electromagnatic
spectrum
Ionizing or non-ionizing radiation Frequancy =1/ wavelength
Radiation: transmission of energy through space or substance in the
form of waves or particles (eg, visible light, radio-waves, cosmic ray..
etc.)
Radiation may be :
Ionizing Non ionizing
radiation radiation
Electromagnatic rays:
X-ray Radio waves
Particulate:
protons Infrared
waves
Microwaves
Properties of x- ray Wavelength.
Path of travel.
• Invisible. Focusing capability.
• Have no mass or weight. Penetrating power.
• Have no charge. Absorption.
• Travels at the speed of light. Ionization capability.
Fluorescence
capability.
Effect on receptor.
Radiation physics
Atom state:
Electrostatic force :Attraction between protons and electrons
Centrifugal force : which Pulls electrons away from nucleus
GROUND/STABLE STATE EXCITED STATE
ELECTROSTATIC FORCE BINDING FORCE
ATOM +/- VE ION
X-ray machine
Tube
Head
Accessories:
Filters + collimator + cone
Supporting arms
Control panel
X-ray
Tube
head
X-ray Tube head
Evacuated glass with two arms or
electrodes extending in two opposite
directions, which are the cathode
and anode.
Tube head
Cathode
It is the negative electrode of the
tube, which serves as the source of
electrons. It consists of two parts
a) Filament.
Filament
b) Focusing cup (tungsten)
Focusin
g
(molybdenum)
cup
a) Filament:
Tungsten is used because;
1) It has a very high melting point
so it can withstand the high
temperature accompanied with the
process of X-ray production.
2) It has a high atomic number, hot
filament
which denoting a high number of
electrons
protons resulting in high number of
electrons.
b) Focusing cup :
It is a negatively charged concave
reflector cup made of molybdenum, act Filament
as focusing the electrons to a narrow (tungsten)
beam to fall on the target. .
Focusin
g
(molybdenum)
cup
Anode
It is the positive electrode of the
tube, which serves as the source of
generation of x ray photon.
side view front view
It consists of two parts
a) Target
b) Copper stem Target
Copper head Target
a) Target:
Made of tungsten
Tungsten; 1- High atomic number, electrons are
tightly bonded to their shells so when these side view
electrons specially in inner shell with their high
energy are hit by the bombarding electron, this
will result in generation of x-rays with high
energy
Target
2) It has a high melting point. Copper head
3) It has a high thermal conductivity to
dissipate the heat produced away from the target.
a) Copper head:
Target side view
Due to the poor thermal conductivity of the
tungsten target, it is embedded in a large block
of copper, which is a good thermal conductor, so
it allows proper dissipation of heat which
accompanies the process of X-ray production.
A simplified diagram of x-ray tube 220 v
Cathode Anode
Step-down Step-up
transformer transformer
Filament 60-90 kvp
E Target
8-12 v
Copper
head
Metal housing
Focusing cup 1ry Ray
Evacuated Glass tube
Insulating oil
Useful beam
X-ray Machine Components
oil
filament filter
exposure
button
Accessories
Filters
Collimato
rs
Cones
Filter
The filter: is usually
located in the end of
the PID which
attaches to the tube
head. Absorb
unnecessary x-rays of
the longer
wavelengths being
both useless in
radiography and
dangerous to the
patient and the
dentist.
Types of Filters
Inherent filters: These include the glass wall of the X-ray tube, The
insulating oil, and the metal housing
Added filters: They are external filters that can be removed or added by the
clinician.(aluminum sheets)
Total filters = Inherent filters + added filters.
Total Filtration
Aluminum filter (s)
Added
2.5 mm
Glass window of x-
Total 70 kVp
Oil/Metal barrier 1.5 mm
ray tube
Inherent
Collimators
• It is a device used to limit or restrict the
size of an X-ray beam just to cover the
film to produce the desire image. The
collimator, located in the end of the PID
• It is a lead disk with a hole in the middle.
The size of the hole determines the
ultimate size of the x-ray beam. The shape
of the hole will determine the shape of the
x-ray beam
Collimators
Therefore the main functions of the
collimator are;
• decreasing the area exposed to
radiation
• decreasing the scatter rays and so
increasing the quality of the beam.
collimator
7 cm
If you switch from
6 cm a 7 cm round PID to
a 6 cm round PID,
the patient receives
6 cm round
25% less radiation.
film
(4.5 cm long)
Rectangular
collimation results in
55 % less radiation
when compared to 7
entrance
cm round PID.
exit
exit
Cones, Position indicating device
(PID)
It is a device used to:
1-Fix the target film distance.
2-Indicate the point of the entry.
3-Determine the direction and
distribution of the X-ray tube.
Supporting arm:
• To act as electrical cables house,
to facilitate adjusting and moving
of the tube head around the
patient.
Control Panel
Interaction of xray with matter
Types of x ray
Primary radiation: It is the radiation coming directly out
of the target, most of it is absorbed by the tube
housing except for the useful beam.
Secondary radiation: It is that radiation generated from
the patient’s surrounding objects due to passage,
interaction of the primary beam with these objects.
They are of a long wavelength and so increased
absorption and are more dangerous to the patient
Scattered radiation: It is a form of secondary radiation
which has been deviated in direction during passage of
the X- rays through objects
Types of x-rays produced
