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Optical Density of X Ray Films PDF
Optical Density of X Ray Films PDF
Key words
optical density, film step tablet, X-ray film with graded optical densities
Fields of application
Verification and calibration of densitometers for measurement of the optical density on radiographs (X-ray films) in
industrial radiographic testing
Further information
Flaws in technical installations or devices can be detected by differences in optical density of X-ray films/
radiographs.
It is therefore important that the optical density is defined and traceable to standards.
L0
The optical density is defined by: D lg
LF
D = diffuse optical density
Lo = Luminance in cd/m2 (on the side of the light source before the film, diffuse)
LF = Luminance in cd/m2 (on the side of the observer, behind the film, specular)
The optical densities measured with a densitometer are traced back onto a NIST-standard respectively a density
step tablet calibrated by the PTB.
The density step tablets measured with the reference method “Measurement of the optical density” are used in
industrial radiography to check the densitometers and therefore for the quality assurance of the exposed x-ray
films, i.e. for a proof of the achieved density.
The measured density step tablets have to be recalibrated in certain intervals depending on national directives
(remeasurement of the optical density). The measurement results are summarized in a certificate.