Bushong: Radiologic Science for Technologists, 11th Edition

Chapter 12: Screen-Film Radiography

Answers to Challenge Questions

1. a. The material of which the base of modern x-ray film is made.

b. The region of the silver halide crystal containing an impurity at which the latent
image begins to form.
c. The invisible image on an unprocessed radiograph.
d. Maintenance of image quality with time; the image does not deteriorate with age.
Absence of archival quality results in a loss of image contrast resulting from fog and
an increasing brownish tint.
e. Orthochromatic film is sensitive to the blue and green lights.
f. Intensification factor is the ratio of exposure without a screen to that with a screen to
produce the same optical density.
g. Spectral matching implies using a film emulsion that has the same absorption
properties as the color of light emitted by a radiographic intensifying screen.
h. Luminescence is the visible light emitted during fluorescence or phosphorescence.
i. Isotropic implies equal intensity in all directions.
j. When the action of two different chemicals combined is greater than the sum of the
action of the individual chemicals, we have synergy.

2. From top to bottom, one should label overcoat, emulsion, adhesive layer, base,
adhesive layer, emulsion, overcoat. See Figure 12-1.

3. The base maintains its size and shape during use and processing so that no dimension
of the film is changed.

4. Developing: 22 seconds; fixing: 22 seconds; washing: 20 seconds; drying: 26 seconds.

5. Radiographic screens should exhibit no phosphorescence. Fluoroscopic screens may

exhibit some phosphorescence. Both screens fluoresce.

6. In the exposed crystal, electrons collect at the sensitivity center. These electrons
convert silver ions to atomic silver, in what is called a latent image center.

7. They are toxic and can cause skin burns and eye irritation or injury.

8. The type of film used determines the darkroom safelight selection. Blue-sensitive film
requires an amber filter. Green-sensitive film requires a red filter. (Red may be used with
either type; amber will fog green-sensitive film.)

9. By radiographing a wire-mesh test tool.

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Answers to Challenge Questions 12-2

10. Film must be stored in light-tight containers under proper temperature and humidity.
Stored film must also be protected from radiation and a shelf-life observed. Film should
be stored on edge to prevent pressure artifacts.

11. Probably lack of glutaraldehyde in the developer.

12. AgNO3 + KBr → AgBr ↓ + KNO3 (the down arrow indicates that AgBr is
precipitated).

13. The amount of silver bromide in the emulsion and its covering power.

14. DQE is the detective quantum efficiency. It represents the probability that an x-ray
will be absorbed by a radiographic intensifying screen. CE is the conversion efficiency. It
represents the amount of light emitted by each absorbing event.

15. The sensitivity center attracts a few interstitially mobile electrons to form atomic
silver. This process is amplified during processing.

16. If the emission spectrum of the screen is not matched to the film absorption spectrum,
a loss of contrast will result, and patient dose must be increased considerably to produce
adequate optical density.

17. With the use of a screen-film image receptor, at exposure times that are very short (as
in angiography) or very long (as in mammography), the resulting optical density may be
considerably lower than that expected.

18. An amber filter is used with blue-sensitive film. A red filter is used with blue- or
green-sensitive film.

19. Conventional screen-film radiography uses two screens and film with double
emulsion. Mammography uses a single screen and film having a single emulsion.

20. The splotchy appearance of a radiograph that has been exposed by a limited number
of x-ray photons.

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