X-ray Machine
• X-ray machine is composed of:
1. Control panel.
2. Extension arm.
3. Tube head.
1. The control panel: contains:
A. An on-off switch.
B. Indicator light.
C. An exposure button.
D. Control devices for: Time.
kilovoltage.
Milliamperage.
2. Extension Arm:
• Houses the electrical wires that extend from the
control panel to the tube head.
• Allows for movement and positioning of the tube
head.
3. Tube head:
• Component parts of the tube head include the
following:
A. Metal housing.
B. Insulating oil.
C. X-ray tube.
D. Transformers.
E. Timer.
F. Accessories.
Step-down Step-up
transformer transformer
A. Metal housing:
• Surrounds the x-ray tube and transformers.
• Filled with oil.
• Function: It protects the x-ray tube and its
components.
B. Insulating oil:
• Surrounds the x-ray tube.
• Function: prevents overheating by absorbing the
heat created by the production of x-rays.
C. x-ray tube:
• Leaded-glass tube.
• Prevents x-rays from escaping in all directions.
• One central area of the leaded-glass tube has a
window that permits the x-ray beam to exit the
tube and directs the x-ray beam toward the
aluminum disks, lead collimator and PID.
Cathode:
• Negative electrode.
• Consists of:
1. Tungsten filament: that produced electrons when
heated accelerated toward the positive anode.
2. The focusing molybdenum cup: which focuses the
electrons into a narrow beam and directs the
beam across the tube toward the tungsten target
of the anode.
Anode:
• Positive electrode.
• consists of:
1. Tungsten target: thin plate which absorbs
energy of electrons and emit photons.
2. The copper band: absorb the heat away from
the tungsten target that produced with x- ray
production.
D. Transformer: is a device that is used to either
increase or decrease the voltage in an electrical
circuit.
• Types:
1. A step-down transformer: is used to decrease the
voltage from the incoming 110- or 220-line voltage
to the 3 to 5 V.
2. A step-up transformer: is used to increase the
voltage from the incoming 110- or 220-line voltage
to the 65,000 to 100,000V.
E. Timer: a device that control the exposure time and calibrated
it in seconds.
• Types:
1. Automatic timer:
A. Immediate timer: it attached to the machine with long cord
that allow operator to move away from field of radiation.
B. Delayed timer: It cordless timer that allow 7-9 second for
operator to be away from radiation field.
2. Manual timer:
• The timer is attached to the machine that controlled manually
for exposure the main disadvantage is that can`t controlled in
fraction of sec.
F. Accessories:
1. Filter.
2. Collimator.
3. Cone.
1. Aluminum filters:
• Remove harmful low energy with long wavelength.
• Thickness from 1.5-2.5mm.
• Types:
A. Added filter: it’s a thin sheet of aluminum that added to
improve quality of x-ray.
B. Inherent filter: that formed of x-ray tube component that x-
ray beam pass through it as:
i. Glass wall of x-ray tube.
ii. Insulating oil.
iii. Barrier that prevent oil escape.
Total filtration =inherited + added
2. Collimator: is advice used to restrict size of
beam to size of film.
Types:
A. Diaphragm: its thin plate of lead with central
hole.
B. Rectangle: thin lead sheet with central
opening.
C. Tubular: a tube of lead with diaphragm
connected to one of its end.
3. Cone: position -indicating device (PID): a device
for indicating the direction of the beam and
setting the ideal distance from the focal spot
on the target to the skin.
Classification of Cone:
1. According to material:
i. Plastic cone.
ii. Glass cone.
iii. Metallic cone: made of lead act as collimator and PID.
2. According to shape:
i. Open-ended cylindrical cone: the most preferable as
the beam will not strike the wall get in parallel manner.
ii. Pointed end cone: it produced scattered radiation as
the beam strict the wall of cone during its passage.
3. According to length:
i. Long cone: 16 inch.
ii. Short cone: 8 inch.
