X- Ray Circuit and Exposure

Parameters

Name : Asmita Bhatt

NAMS , Bir Hospital
BSc. MIT 2nd year
 Contents :
• X –Ray circuit introduction
• Components of X ray circuits
• Operating console
• High voltage generator
• kVp and mA meter
• Rectifier circuit
• High frequency generator
• Exposure parameters (kVp and mAs)
 Introduction:
• Simple circuitry which allows current to pass from the operating console
to the X ray tube comprise the x – ray circuit .

• X –ray tube operates in the high voltage of 25 to 150 kilovolts and the
filament current of 3 to 8 Amperes and voltage to filament is approx 12
volt .

• We get only 220 volts of the AC current to our radiology department .

• In course of the x ray circuit , the AC voltage is changed to DC voltage

and 220 volt is changed to high 150,000 volts .
FIG. 6-1 Simplified diagram of an x-ray circuit. Electric circuit
going into the x-ray room is at far left (1) and circuit ends at x-ray
tube far right (14).
 Components of x ray circuit:

• Operating console
a. Line compensation meter
b. Auto transformer
c. kVp meter and timer meter (mAs meter)
• High voltage generator
a. High frequency generator OR
b. High voltage circuit and filament circuit
c. Rectifier
d. Step up transformer
Operating consol
 Operating console
• Line compensator stabilizes the incoming voltage .
• Power first supplied to the auto transformer of operating console.
• kVp meter :select the kilovoltage (not voltage).
• mA selector: selects the precise milliamperage .
• Timer circuit controls the exposure time .
• kVp meter is connected to the primary of the high voltage transformer .

• Timer circuit are of different type:

a. Synchronous timer = need to be reset after each exposure

b. Electronic timer = RC circuit is used

c. mAs timer = monitors the product of mA and exposure time and

terminates the exposure when the desired mAs value is attained .
 Automatic Exposure Control
• AEC is a device that measures the total number of radiation
(ultimately charge) that reaches the image receptor .

• There may be the parallel plate ionization chamber or

photodiode used to assemble the amount of exposure and
these radiation detectors gives feedback signal to the timer
circuit to terminate the exposure when desired amount of
radiation is detected .
 • Auto transformer inside the operating console has both
properties :step up and step down properties.

• Step up portion increases 220 volts to 400 volts approx. and

pass it to the high voltage transformer of the generator .

• Step down portion decreases 220 volts to 110 volts approx. and
pass it to the filament transformer of the generator .
 High voltage generator:
• This consists of high voltage transformer , filament transformer and
complex rectifier and filter circuits .

• High voltage transformer changes the voltage from the operating

console to very high voltage i.e. 25 to 150 KV and pass to serve the
anode and cathode .

• Filament transformer changes the voltage from operating console to

very low voltage i.e. 8 to 12 volts and pass it to the filament .
Single phase ,three phase and high frequency
circuit
• Single phase circuit: only single sinusoidal voltage waveform used.

• Three phase circuit: Three different voltage waveform used .

• High frequency circuit: single waveform converted into high

frequency waveform . Requires double rectification because inverter is
used .
Exposure parameters: They mainly define the
doses .

• kVp : kilo voltage peak . This determines the quality of x ray .

• kVp meter is connected to the primary of the high voltage transformer

not in the secondary but it measures kilovoltage not voltage . Doing so
reduces the possible shock hazard .

• High kVp- low image contrast , high penetrating power

• Increase in kVp increases tube current until the temperature saturation
region is achieved . After the temperature saturated region , increase in kVp
does not increase the tube current .
• mA : milliamperage This affect the quantity of x ray .
• This is the measure of tube current .
• Tube current depends on the filament temperature.
• Tube current is directly proportional to the intensity of x ray .
• Increase in mA increases image quality .
• mA meter connected to the secondary of the high voltage
transformer .

• Nowadays mAs is generally calculated instead of mA .

• mAs represents the amount of charge produced in the x ray

tube. It is directly proportional to the number of photons to be
released from anode .
Exposure time:

• Exposure time is kept as short as possible to minimize motion blur .

• Timer circuit is incorporated in the primary of the transformer .
Power supply Exposure time(minimum possible)

Single phase 17 ms

Three phase 8 ms

High frequency power 1 ms

 Questions for discussion:

• Why is mA meter connected in secondary of the transformer?

• How come kVp meter connected in the primary of the transformer but it measures
kilovoltage ?

• Voltage line compensation can be performed in the generator also but why it is always
present in the operating console?

• High frequency circuit need to be rectified twice . Why?

• What voltage is supplied to the filament for heating purpose?

• Does increase in kVp always bring increment in tube current?

References :
• Bushong’s Radiologic Science for Technologists
• Previous notes from seniors
Thank you