Imaging and Equipment review topics

Factors affecting image quality are divided into 2 categories

a.
b.

PHOTOGRAPHIC FACTORS – Those factors that affect the amount of _________________

reaching the IR

1. RECEPTOR EXPOSURE
2. CONTRAST (2 types)
a. SUBJECT CONTRAST
b. IMAGE RECEPTOR CONTRAST

RECEPTOR EXPOSURE RELATIONSHIPS

An INCREASE in RECEPTOR EXPOSURE will _________________ CONTRAST

Factors that have a _______________ relationship with RECEPTOR EXPOSURE

1. An increase in mAs will ____________RE

2. An increase in kVp will _____________RE
3. An increase in destructive disease will _____________ RE

Factors that have a _______________ relationship with RECEPTOR EXPOSURE

1. An increase is SID will __________RE

2. An increase in GRID ratio will __________RE
3. An increase in Beam filtration will ____________RE
4. An increase in subject density will _____________RE
5. An increase in Additive disease will _____________ RE
6. An increase in Beam Restriction will ____________ RE
7. An increase in Anode Heel effect will __________ RE

Factors that have a ____________ relationship with CONTRAST

1. Increase in Grid Ratio will ______________ contrast

2. Increases in Subject density will ___________Contrast
3. Increase in Additive disease will __________ Contrast
4. Increase in Beam restriction will __________ contrast

Factors that have a _____________ relationship with CONTRAST

1. An increase in kVp will ____________ Contrast

2. An increase in beam filtration will __________ contrast
3. An increase in Destructive disease will ______ Contrast

Do mAs and SID have an effect on Contrast? _______

GEOMETRIC FACTORS – Those factors that affect the degree of divergence of X-ray beam and
the information recorded on the radiographic image

1. RECORDED DETAIL
2. DISTORTION
a. SIZE
b. SHAPE

Factor that has a ___________ relationship with RECORDED DETAIL

1. Increase in SID = ___________ RD

Factors that have a ____________ relationship with RECORDED DETAIL

1. Increase in OID = __________RD

2. Increase in Focal Spot Size = ____________RD
3. Increase in Motion = ______________ RD
4. Increase in Angulation (tube,part,IR) = _____________RD

Relationship with SHAPE DISTORTION

1. Increase Motion = ___________ SD

2. Increase in Angulation = _________ SD

Relationship with SIZE DISTORTION

1. Increase SID = ___________SD

2. Increase in OID = __________ SD

SID, OID, Focal spot size have ___________ effect on SHAPE DISTORTION

Focal spot size, Motion, Angulation have ______________ effect on SIZE DISTORTION
 UNDERSTANDING WHY?

1. How is mAs related to patient dose?

2. How is kVp related to patient dose?

3. How will beam restriction affect patient dose?

4. Why does increasing grid ratio affect patient dose?

5. Why does increasing grid ratio improve image contrast?

6. Why does increasing grid ratio decrease receptor exposure?

7. Why does increasing beam restriction decrease Receptor exposure?

8. Why does increasing beam filtration decrease Receptor exposure?

9. Why does increasing anode heel effect decrease Receptor exposure?

10. What determines the contrast on a digital image?

11. How does air gap technique affect contrast?

12. Why would a larger patient decrease receptor exposure?

13. Why will larger patients will have increased distortion?

14. If the Central ray is angled the image will be? Elongated or Foreshortened

15. If the Object is angled the image will be? Elongated or Foreshortened
Identify if the factor has an INDIRECT or DIRECT relationship with RECEPTOR EXPOSURE
(Increase/Decrease)
Relationship with Receptor Exposure Image Receptor exposure will:

mAs

SID

kVp

Grids

Beam Filtration

Subject Density

Pathology: Additive Disease

Pathology: Destructive
Disease

Beam Restriction
(collimation)

Identify if the factor has an INDIRECT or DIRECT relationship with CONTRAST (Increase/Decrease/None)
Relationship with Contrast Contrast will

mAs

SID

kVp

Grids

Beam Filtration

Subject Density

Pathology: Additive Disease

Pathology: Destructive Disease

Beam Restriction (collimation)

Identify if the factor has an INDIRECT or DIRECT relationship with RECORDED DETAIL or DISTORTION

*If the factor does not have an effect write No change

Relationship with Recorded Shape distortion will: Size Distortion will:

recorded detail detail will:

SID

OID

Focal Spot
Size

Motion

Angulation
(Tube, film,
part)
Test Your Knowledge

Place an X in the box showing which radiographic quality the factor has an effect on. Factors can effect
more than one quality.

Factor Receptor Exposure Contrast Spatial Resolution Distortion

mAs

kVp

OID

SID

Focal Spot Size

Grid Ratio

Tube Filtration

Beam Restriction

Motion

Anode heel effect

Patient factors (size,

pathology)

Angle (tube, part or

IR)
CHECK YOUR KNOWLEDGE!

Factor Receptor Exposure Contrast Spatial Resolution Distortion

mAs X

kVp X X

OID X (Air gap) X X

SID X X X

Focal Spot Size X

Grid Ratio X X

Tube Filtration X X

Beam Restriction X X

Motion X

Anode heel effect X

Patient factors (size, X X X X

pathology)

Angle (tube, part or X X

IR)
 Digital Imaging and Spatial Resolution Relationships

Define the terms:

Spatial Resolution-
Matrix Size-
Pixel-
PSP Plate Size-
Sampling Frequency-
Field of View (for a fixed matrix size)
Flat Panel detector- Detector Element (DEL) used with ______________ radiography
Relationship with Spatial Spatial Resolution will:
Resolution
Matrix Size
Pixel Size
PSP Plate Size
Sampling Frequency
Field Of View (Fixed Matrix)
Flat Panel (DEL)

Matrix: Increasing the image receptor (IR) size results in______________ in matrix size (total number of
pixels). The greater number of pixels per millimeter the_____________ the resolution

Pixel Size:-

1. Decreasing pixel size results in____________ matrix size and___________ spatial resolution
2. Decreasing pixel size ____________visibility of small structures and___________ spatial
resolution
3. The ________the pixel = more detail The larger the pixel = less detail
PSP Plate – CR cassette - As you increase PSP plate size, spatial resolution _____________

Would you use a 14x17 cassette for a hand x-ray? Smallest cassette possible

Sampling frequency – As sampling frequency increases, spatial resolution _______________

1. The more pixels sampled per millimeter as the laser scans each line of the imaging plate.
Field of View (fixed matrix) –If you open your light field, does that improve your image?

1. As FOV Increases spatial resolution ______________

2. Would you increase your light field outside your cassette size?
Flat panel (DEL) –As DEL Increases, spatial resolution________________
 Equipment study topics for ARRT

What are the properties of the x-ray beam?

Define thermionic emission

Where is the filament located?

Is the focusing cup positively or negatively charged?

Where does thermionic emission occur?

Define Photoemission

Define wavelength

Define frequency

What is the relationship between wavelength and frequency?

Explain the inverse square law

Describe Anode heel effect

Line focus principle

Circuit

What are the two types of electromagnetic induction?

Which device in the circuit uses self-induction?

Which device boosts voltage to kilovoltage?

What is the role of the step-down transformer?

What is the role of the line voltage compensator?

What changes AC to DC?

What is composed of solid-state silicon-based diodes?

Where is the rectifier located in the circuit?

What is the role of the timer?

What is the voltage ripple of a high-frequency power?

Three phase, 12 pulse full wave rectification produces what percentage of ripple?

The anode is the source of which interactions?

What measures tube current?

How is the anode turned?

What is the role of AEC?

Where are the ionization chambers located?

Primary purpose of filtration

Added vs. inherent filtration

How is filtration measured?

Image intensifier

What is the role of the output phosphor?

Input phosphor converts?

Which converts visible light to electrons?

Total brightness gain formula

Fluoroscopy exposure rate must not exceed per min?

What does ABC stand for in regards to fluoroscopy imaging?

What type of exposure switch is used in fluoro?

What type of pressure is required for the exposure switch in fluoro?

Unit of measurement for Luminance?

Spatial resolution – matrix size – pixel size relationship

How is spatial resolution measured?

When using a PSP plate to capture the remnant beam, what processes the electrical signal from the
photomultiplier and produces a digital image?

Histogram definition

Fill Factor percentage?

Smoothing

Equalization

Masking

Automatic rescaling

Window level
Window width

RIS

HIS

Grids

Construction

Frequency

Ratio

Bucky factor

Grid cutoff

Pt dose

Grid conversion calculation

QA

QC vs. QA

How is plate uniformity determined?

Light needs to be _____% of SID to be accurate

kVp must be accurate within ___ %

Exposure reproducibility percentage?

Exposure Linearity measures?

Exposure timer percentage?

What does a photometer measure?