PRINCIPLES
OF
IMAGING
ALDRIN JOEL R. SUNGA, RRT
CONTRAST SCALE
High Kvp
Low kVp
FACTORS AFFECTING RADIOGRAPHIC
CONTRAST
1. kVp
2. Grid
3. Beam Restriction
4. Subject Contrast
5. Compression
6. Air Gap Technique
Kilovoltage peak (kVp)
Kilovoltage peak (kVp) - Primary technical factor for controlling
radiographic of Contrast
Peak potential applied to the xray tube, which accelerates electrons from
the cathode to the anode in radiography
The Kilovoltage peak is the crest of the waveform that represents photon
energy
Has significant effect on the quality of the photons in the xray beam
ALDRIN JOEL R. SUNGA, RRT
RADIATION : OVERVIEW
Affects BOTH x-ray quality and quantity
High kVp
• High
frequency
• High energy
•• Hard x-rays
Short Wavelength
High
kVp
High kVp produces more scatter radiation
therefore resulting to low contrast resolution
The amount of scatter radiation absorbed by
the patient is less
Compton is more prominent in high kVp
techniques
X-ray beam is highly penetrating
High kVp
Low kVp
• Low frequency
• Low energy
• Long
Wavelength
• Soft x-rays
Low kVp produces less scatter radiation therefore
resulting to high contrast resolution
The amount of scatter radiation absorbed by the patient
is more (high patient dose)
Photoelectric effect is more prominent in low kVp
Techniques
Low kVp
Radiographic
Grid
First grid was designed by Gustav Bucky in 1913. Dr. Bucky's
design was improved in 1920 by the work of Hollis Potter, M.D. Dr.
Potter made a device that moved the grid during the exposure
The radiographic grid is an accessory used solely for the purpose
of improving the quality of the radiograph
Grids are designed to absorb scatter radiation before it reaches
the recording medium
Placed between the patient and the image receptor
Scatter radiation strikes the grid from an angle, it is absorbed by
the grid. The grid serves to reduce the number of scatter rays
striking the film.
Beam Restriction
• Any change in the size of the x-ray field alters the amount of tissue
irradiated.
• A larger field size (decreasing collimation) increases the amount of
tissue irradiated, causing more scatter radiation to be produced, thus
increasing the amount of radiation reaching the IR
• The increased amount of scatter reaching the IR results in less
radiographic contrast
• The effect of collimation is greater when imaging large anatomic areas,
performing examinations without a grid, and using a high kVp.
Beam Restriction
• Any change in the size of the x-ray field alters the amount of tissue
irradiated.
• A larger field size (decreasing collimation) increases the amount of
tissue irradiated, causing more scatter radiation to be produced,
thus increasing the amount of radiation reaching the IR
• The increased amount of scatter reaching the IR results in less
radiographic contrast
• The effect of collimation is greater when imaging large anatomic
areas, performing examinations without a grid, and using a high kVp.
Aperture Diaphragm
• Aperture Diaphragm
simplest of all beam-restricting devices.
a lead or leadlined
aperture cannot be adjusted from the designed size
Cones and cylinders
• Cones and cylinders limit unsharpness surrounding the radiographic image more
than aperture diaphragms.
• Cylinder is better in reducing image unsharpness than cones, but both are limited in
sizes that are available
• Flange can vary in length and can be shaped as either a cone or a cylinder
Cones and cylinders
• Cones and cylinders limit unsharpness surrounding the radiographic image more
than aperture diaphragms.
• Cylinder is better in reducing image unsharpness than cones, but both are limited in
sizes that are available
• Flange can vary in length and can be shaped as either a cone or a cylinder
Beam Restriction
OBJECT TO IMAGE RECEPTOR
DISTANCE (Air Gap Technique)
• When distance is created between the object being
radiographed and the IR, known as object to-image-
receptor distance (OID)
• a decrease in beam intensity may result. As the exit
radiation continues to diverge, less overall intensity of
the x-ray beam reaches the IR.
• Decreasing the exposure to the IR may require an
increase in the mAs to compensate.
OBJECT TO IMAGE RECEPTOR DISTANCE
(Air Gap Technique)
OBJECT TO IMAGE RECEPTOR
DISTANCE (Air Gap Technique)
• When sufficient distance
between the object and IR
exists, an air gap is created,
also preventing the scatter
radiation from striking the IR
• Whenever the amount of
scatter radiation reaching
the IR is reduced, the
radiographic contrast is
increased.
Part
Thickness
• The thickness of the anatomic part being imaged affects the amount of x-
ray beam attenuation that occurs.
• A thick part absorbs more radiation, whereas a thin part transmits more
radiation.
• As the thickness of a given type of anatomic tissue increases, the amount
of scattered radiation increases and radiographic contrast decreases.
• More matter = more scatter
FILTRATION
• Primary beam is the x-ray beam that eventually records
the body part onto the image receptor.
• The x-rays that exit the tube are polyenergetic;
• They consist of low-energy, medium-energy, and high-
energy photons.
• The low-energy photons cannot penetrate parts of the
anatomy and do not contribute to image formation.
They contribute only to patient dose.
FILTRATION
Reduction of the low-energy photons requires that filtration be
added to the x-ray beam to attenuate or absorb these photons
Increase the average photon energy
Low-energy photons serve only to increase patient dose and
do not contribute to image formation.
MAIN FUNCTION OF FILTRATION – ABSORB LOW ENERGY
PHOTONS THAT ONLY CONTRIBUTES TO PATIENT DOSE
X-ray Tube
Filtration
Increasing the amount of tube filtration increases the ratio
of higher-penetrating x-rays to lower-penetrating x-rays.
The result of added filtration is an increase in the average
energy of the x-ray beam with an accompanying reduction
in x-ray quantity
Adding filtration is sometimes called hardening the x-ray
beam because of the relative increase in average energy
ALDRIN JOEL R. SUNGA, RRT
RADIATION : OVERVIEW
X-ray Tube
Filtration
Inherent filtration refers to the filtration that is
permanently in the path of the x-ray beam.
Three components contribute to inherent filtration:
the envelope of the tube
the oil that surrounds the tube
window in the tube housing
ALDRIN JOEL R. SUNGA, RRT
RADIATION : OVERVIEW
References:
• Radiographic Imaging and Exposure- 5TH Edition by Terri L.
Fauber
• Radiograhic Science for Technologist – Physics, Biology
and Protection – 10th Edition by Stewart Carlyle Bushong
• Radiographic Imaging- A Guide for producing a quality
Radiograph by Evelyn Frank Burns
• Formulating X-ray technique- John B. Cahoon
