Radiographic technique usually is described

as the combination of settings selected on the

control panel of the x-ray imaging system to
produce a high quality image.
EXPOSURE
TECHNIQUE
FACTORS
PRIMARY FACTORS
qkVp
qmA, and
qexposure time
q SID
Milliamperage and Exposure Time
• mA- is a measurement of x-ray tube current to anode - the
number of electrons crossing the tube from cathode to
anode per second.
• An ampere is equal to an electric charge of 1 coulomb
flowing through a conductor per second.
• A = 1 C/s = 6.3 × 10 electrons per second
• An ampere equals a flow of 6.3 x 10 electrons per second.
• As mA increases so does the number of electrons which are
able to cross the tube to reach the x-ray target.
• mA is directly proportional to tube current.
Milliamperage and Exposure Time
• The number of electrons reaching the target is also
controlled by the length of time the tube is energized.
• Changes in the length of time of exposure will affect the
total number of electrons flowing from cathode to anode.
• X-ray exposure time is measured in seconds.
• Exposure time is directly proportional to number of
electrons crossing the tube and is therefore directly
proportional to the number of x-rays created. This is the
x-ray quantity.
Milliamperage and Exposure Time
• Milliamperage-second (mAs) is the unit used to describe the
product of tube current and exposure time.
• For example, 10 mAs can be set using any of the following
technical factors:

50 mA x 0.2 (1/5) second = 10 mAs

100 mA x 0.1 (1/10) second = 10 mAs
200 mA x 0.05 (1/20) second = 10 mAs

Because the mAs is the product of mA and exposure time,

increasing mA or time has the same effect on the radiation
exposure.
Important Relationship
• Milliamperage and exposure time have an inverse proportional
relationship when maintaining the same mAs.

Example 200 mA x 100 ms (0.1 s) = 20 mAs

To maintain the mAs, use:
400 mA x 50 ms (0.05 s) = 20 mAs
100 mA x 200 ms (0.2 s) = 20 mAs
Density Relationship to mAs Using
Film/Screen image Receptor systems.
• Radiographic film density is the degree of blackening of an x-
ay film. it is created by deposits of black metallic silver on an
x-ray film that has been exposed to light or x-ray and then
processed.
• As the mAs value is increased, the radiation quantity
increases; therefore, the number of x-rays arriving at the
image receptor increases, resulting in higher OD and lower
radiographic noise but higher patient radiation dose.
• The primary control of OD is mAs.
KILOVOLTAGE (kVp)
• As kVp is increased, both the quantity and quality of x-
radiation are increased; a greater number of x-rays are
transmitted through the patient, so a higher portion of
the primary beam reaches the image receptor. Thus, kVp
also affects OD. Among x-rays that interact with the
patient, the relative number of Compton interactions
increases with increasing kVp, resulting in less
differential absorption and reduced subject contrast.
KILOVOLTAGE (kVp)
• Furthermore, with increased kVp, the scatter radiation
that reaches the image receptor is greater; therefore,
radiographic noise is higher.
• The result of increased kVp is loss of contrast. When
radiographic contrast is low, latitude is high, and the
margin for error is increased.
• The principal advantages of the use of high kVp include a
reduction in patient dose and a wide latitude of exposures
allowed in the production of a diagnostic radiograph.
Distance
The SID largely determines the intensity of the x-ray beam at the
image receptor.
Distance (SID) affects OD.
For tabletop radiography, 100 cm is common, but dedicated chest
examination usually is conducted at 180 cm.
Tabletop radiography at 120 cm and chest radiography at 300 cm are
now often used. The use of a longer SID results in less magnification,
less focal spot blur, and improved spatial resolution.
 IMAGE-QUALITY
FACTORS
“language” of radiography

§ OD
§ CONTRAST
§ IMAGE DETAIL
§ DISTORTION
• Optical density is the degree of blackening of the
finished radiograph.
• Contrast is the difference in OD between adjacent
anatomical structures, or the variation in OD on a
radiograph.
• Detail describes the sharpness of appearance of
small structures on the radiograph
• Distortion is the misrepresentation of object size
and shape on the radiograph.
CONTRAST
• the difference between adjacent densities.
It can be mathematically evaluated as the
percentage of or ratio of the differences
densities. These differences can range
from clear white through various shades of
gray or black.
DYNAMIC RANGE
• - used to describe the concept of
contrast as it is displayed on a soft
copy monitor for digital images. For
radiographic images the term
contrast/dynamic range can be
applied.
• The function of contrast in the image is to make
anatomy more visible.
• Contrast on a radiograph is necessary for the
outline or border of a structure to be visible.
• Contrast is the result of differences in attenuation
of the x-ray beam as it passes through various
tissues of the body.
• kVp is the major factor used in controlling
radiographic contrast.
Radiographic contrast is the product of two
separate factors.
• Image receptor contrast is inherent in the screen-
film combination and is influenced somewhat by
processing of the film.
• Film selection usually is limited and is determined
somewhat by the intensifying screen used.
• Film-screen images always have higher contrast
compared with direct film exposure images.
• Subject contrast is the range of differences in the
intensity of the xray beam after it has been
attenuated by the subject. It is dependent on kVp
and type of irradiated material.
• With high kVp, subject contrast is decreased
because more uniform penetration occurs between
thin and thick parts.
• As body part thickness increases, x-ray absorption
increases.
Types of Contrast
• High-contrast radiographs produce short gray
scale. They exhibit black to white in just a few
apparent steps. High contrast, “a lot of
contrast,” or a “short scale of contrast” is
obtained by using low-kVp exposure
techniques.
• Low-contrast radiographs produce long gray
scale and have the appearance of many shades
of gray. Low contrast is the same as “long scale
of contrast” and results from high-kVp
exposure techniques
FACTORS AFFECTING
CONTRAST
1. Kilovotage as the Controlling Factor-
as kVp increases contrast decreases. As kVp
decreases, contrast increases. Increasing kVp
increases the amount of radiation fog, thereby
dercreasing contrast.
kVp is the major factor used in controlling
radiographic contrast.
2. Radiographic Grid- device for reducing the level of
scatter radiation that reaches the image receptor.
The grid is positioned between the patient and the
image receptor.
Grid- higher ratio grids remove more scatter and
therefore have a greater contrast improvement
factor. This results in a higher contrast image.
High-ratio grids increase the patient radiation dose
3. Beam restrictors- restricting the beam,
collimating, or reducing the primary beam field
size reduces the total number of photons
available. This reduces the amount of scatter
radiation and therefore increases contrast.
4. The use of radiographic intensifying screens results in
shorter contrast scale compared with non-screen
exposures. A high-contrast emulsion contains smaller
silver halide grains with a relatively uniform grain
size. Low-contrast films, on the other hand, contain
larger grains that have a wider range of sizes.
5. Film processing- increase in development time
results in decrease contrast.
6. Contrast media- is used when imaging anatomic
structure has a low subject contrast. The use of CM,
increases radiographic contrast.
7. mAs- an increase in mAs will result in decrease
contrast
• Exposure Modifications:
Pediatric chest = use fast exposure times to stop
motion.
Minimum KVP to Penetrate Chest in Children
Premature 50 KV
Infant 55 KV
Child 60 KV

Pediatric patients skull - younger than 6 years old -

use 15% less KVP
• Adapting exposure factors for children based on
exposure factors for adults, excluding chest and skull
exams
• Age Exposure factor adaptation
0-5 years ; 25% of MAS that is indicated for adults
6-12 ; 50% of MAS that is indicated for adults
• Casts can be made of fiberglass or plaster.
• Fiberglass generally requires no change in exposure
factors.
• Plaster require an increase in exposure, this
depends on whether the cast is still wet or whether
it is dry.

Dry cast - increase of 2 times the MAS

Wet cast - increase of 3 times the MAS