RDT 104 – Principles of Imaging | Technical Factors In Radiography

Professor Marty R. Soroan III, RRT, RSO, MSRT

RDT 104 – Principles of Imaging | Technical Factors In Radiography
Professor Marty R. Soroan III, RRT, RSO, MSRT

OUTLINE - Bremsstrahlung is a German word for breaking or slo wing

down
- It occurs when the incident electron interacts with the force
I. Introduction field of the nucleus.
A. Internal Component of X-ray Tube
B. X-ray Production
C. The Energy and Intensity of the X-ray Beam
D. Radiographic Exposures
E. X-ray Circuitry
F. 4 Technical Factors in Radiography

I. INTRODUCTION

Internal Component of X-ray Tube

- The emission is called bremsstrahlung photons/radiation
- Their energy is exactly the difference between the kinetic
energy of entering and exiting electron. Th us, the higher
the kinetic energy of the incident electron, the higher the
energy of bremsstrahlung photon produced .
- Upon passing the nucleus, the distance of the electron
from the nucleus determines the amo unt of kinetic energy
lost. At shorter distances more energy is lost, resulting in
high energy bremsstrahlung radiation.
- X-ray photons of bremsstrahlung origin have energies as
high as the peak kilovoltage to such a minimal amount of
energy.
- A single incident electron can cause numero us
interactions in many different atoms before losing en ough
energy and join the current flow.

“Bremsstrahlung is commonly used in x-rays and CT scans, this

type of radiation is attenuating ”
X-ray Production
Characteristic Interactions
- X-rays are produced by energy conversion when fast-
moving electrons from the filament of the x-ray tube - Occurs when the incident electron interacts with an inner-
interact with the anode. shell electron, and ionizing the atom.

- The kinetic energy of the electron is converted to heat

energy (99%) or electromagnetic energy in the form of X-
rays (1%).
- X-rays are generated by two processes:
o Bremsstrahlung interaction “Gives energy to different shells of electrons. The K-shell is the most
o Characteristic interaction beneficial to this, because it is nearer.”
- Conditions needed are:
o A source of electrons (cathode) “Characteristic Radiation is very useful in mammography”
o A high-voltage across the tube (anode)
o A target (middle) - These emissions are called characteristic photons
because their energy is characteristic of the energy
difference between the binding energies of the shells
involved in the interaction.
- However, only K-shell characteristic photon has sufficient
Bremsstrahlung Interaction energy to be part of the usual beam.
RDT 104 – Principles of Imaging | Technical Factors In Radiography
Professor Marty R. Soroan III, RRT, RSO, MSRT

- In tungsten target, with atomic number of 74, K-shell

characteristic photons could have energies from 59 to 69.5
keV.
- For molybdenum target, with atomic number of 43, K-shell
characteristic photons could have energies from 17 to 20
keV.

The Energy and Intensity of the X-ray beam

- The energy and intensity of the X-ray beam is shown in

the X-ray Emission Spectrum.
- The energy of the X-ray beam is shown in the x-axis and
the corresponding intensity is shown in the y-axis
- Two types of Emission Spectrum
o Continuous Emission Spectrum
o Discrete Emission Spectrum
- The lowest energy is approximately 15 to 20 keV, and is a
function of beam filtration.
- The highest energy is equal to the kVp set on the control
panel.
Sec.
Radiographic Exposures
- It controls the length of time the tube will be energized.
- Exposure factors influence and determine the quantity and - Thus, it controls:
quality of X-ray that will expose the patient. o The length of time electrons produced on the
- RADIATION QUANTITY refers to the intensity of X-ray filament travels from cathode to anode, ∴
measured by mR. o The number of electrons that will bombard the
- RADIATION QUALITY refers to the energy of the X-ray hard target, ∴
beam and therefore its penetrability measured in HVL. o The number of X-ray photons that will be
created.
X-ray Circuitry - Therefore it also controls the intensity of X-ray beam.

Relationship of mA and sec.

- mA and time of exposure are inseparable. Their product

(mAs) controls the intensity of the x-ray photon.

mAs = mA x s

- Their relationship to intensity is directly proportional. That

if mA or time of exposure is doubled, intensity will also
double.

Reciprocity Law and Reciprocity Law Failure

- Reciprocity law states that any combination of mA and

time which yield the same product will result to the same
density.

4 Technical Factors in Radiography Example.

100 mA x 0.1 sec = 10 mAs
- mA- milliampere 200 mA x 0.05 sec = 10 mAs
- Sec.- time of exposure in seconds 500 mA x 0.02 sec = 10 mAs
- kVp- kilovoltage peak
- Distance- distance from the source of radiation to the - Reciprocity law failures states that a very short (0.002
image receptor sec.) and very long (3 min) exposure time, the resultant
density is somewhat less than what is expected.
mA
mAs
- It controls the current supplied to the filament of the x-ray
tube. - mAs controls the in tensity of X-ray photons.
- Thus, it controls: - Thus:
o The temperature of the filament, ∴ o It controls the amount of radiation that will
o The number of electrons that will be released by interact with the patient body and therefore the
thermionic emission, ∴ dose received by the patient, ∴
o The number of electron that will travel from o It also controls the amount of X-ray photons that
cathode to anode, ∴ will interact with the X-ray film, thus its density
o The number of electrons that will bombard the (film-screen system).
hard target, ∴ ▪ Generally a film that has lo w density
o The number of x-ray photons that will be would require adjusting the mAs by a
created. factor of 2.
- Therefore it controls the intensity or the quantity of x-ray - mAs also controls the amount of exposure of the di gital
beam. image recording medium, however image brightness is
RDT 104 – Principles of Imaging | Technical Factors In Radiography
Professor Marty R. Soroan III, RRT, RSO, MSRT

automatically adjusted during computer processing to o The kinetic energy of the projectile electrons,
achieve the desired level. and ∴
- Effect of mAs on digital imaging is more on the quantum o The energy of x-ray photons that will be created.
noise visible within the image. Low mAs increased the - Therefore it controls the energy or the quality of the X-ray
quantum noise visible within th e image. High mAs beam.
produces low quantum noise but increases patient - kVp affects the penetrability of the X-ray beam and
exposure. therefore the image contrast/contrast resolution.
- The kVp to be used for every particular examination is
Distance usually computed using the following formula:

- The distance from the source of radiation (focal spot) to kVp = thickness (cm) x 2 + constant
the image receptor (X-ray film).
- X-ray beam comes from a small source but diverges as - Caliper- it is used to measure thickness of the bod y in cm.
the distance from the source increases. o Measurement should be done from the po int of
- As the beam becomes more spread out, it will produce entry of X-ray to the exit point.
less intensity over the square area.
Example:
Distance and the Inverse Square Law In an AP projection of the skull measurement should
be done from front to back.
- The decrease in the intensity of the X-ray photons follows
the inverse square law. - To a lesser extent, kVp also affects the beam intensity that
reach the X-ray film.
o As we increase the kVp, more photons will
penetrate the body and interact with the film.
o More photons will also interact through Compton
and produce scatter radiation that increases
density.

kVp No Photelectric Compton

interaction
- Inverse square law states that th e intensity of the X-ray 50 <1% 79% 21%
beam decreases by a factor of four with the square of the 80 2% 46% 52%
distance. 110 7% 23% 70%

- Insufficient kVp in digital image recorded would also have

Distance the same effect on quantum noise as the mAs.

- Distance affects the intensity of the X-ray beam that will 15% kVp rule
interact with the X-ray film and therefore also affect
radiographic density. - Increasing kVp by 15% will result to the same increase in
- Thus, in diagnostic imaging a fixed distance is employed density as doubling the mAs.
for every type of examination. - To increase density:
Usually employing a distance of 72 in. and 40 in. o Increase mAs by 100%
- Distance has a direct relationship with magnification. o Increase kVp by 15%
- To decrease density:
mAs – Distance Relationship o Decrease mAs by 50%
o Decease kVp by 15%
- Since both mAs and distance affects intensity, mAs and - To increase mAs by 100% without changing density
distance relation ship can be stated with this equation: o Decrease kVp by 15%
- To decrease mAs by 50% without changing dens ity
o Increase kVp by 15%

- As the distance increases, there is a need to increase mAs

to compensate for the reduction in density.

kVp

- kVp controls the voltage applied across the X-ray tube.

- Thus, it controls:
o The potential difference between the cathode
and the anode, ∴
o The speed by which electrons travel from
cathode to anode, ∴