Film Artifacts

Larry A. Enriquez, RT®,QAO, RSO

 OBJECTIVES
·At the end of the discussion, the students
should be able to:
1.Visually identify the radiographic artifacts shown
2.List and discuss the three categories or artifacts
3.Explain the causes of exposure artifacts
4.Describe the types of artifacts caused during film processing
5.Describe the types of artifacts caused during film processing
6.Discuss how improper handling and storage of film can cause artifacts
 Image Artifacts
·An artifact is any irregularity on an image that
is not caused by the normal shadowing of tissue
by the primary beam.
·There are three areas where artifacts occur:
vExposure
vProcessing
vHandling and Storage
 Exposure Artifacts
·Exposure artifacts are generally associated with how
the examination was performed. Example include:
vIncorrect screen film match (associated with spectral
matching)
vPoor screen contact
vWarped cassettes
vDirty screens
vImproper use of a grid.
vImproper technical factors – most common reason for
retakes.
vImproper preparation of the patient for the exam or
gowning instructions.
vDouble exposures
vMotion blur from improper breathing instructions.
vImproper positioning of the patient and equipment.
 Common exposure artifacts
APPEARANCE CAUSE

Unsuspected foreign objects Improper Patient preparation

Double exposure Reuse of an already exposed cassette

Blur Improper patient movement

Obscure detail Poor screen-film contact

Dentures
·Older patients may have
removable dentures for the
upper or lower teeth.
·As part of the gowning
instructions ask about
dentures.
·Partial Dentures are
attached to the remaining
teeth with metal clips.
·Can cause major
problems on AP Open
Mouth views.
 Poor Gowning: Ear Rings
·There we see an ear
ring on a base posterior
view.
 Poor Gowning: Ear Ring
·A single ear ring on a
lateral cervical spine view.
 Poor Gowning: Pins in Hair
·Bobby pins can ruin
cervical or skull
radiographs.
·Here are two A-P
cervical spine view.
·One the first view a soft
tissue mass is seen at the
base of the skull.
·The patient’s hair was in
a bun. She put her hair
down and the mass
disappeared.
·Another example of
mouse and dreadlocks.
·You will not be able to
get the patient to remove
the dread locks so have
the patient but their hair up
for the A-P
Poor Gowning: Necklace
·When someone
measures the patient
and positions the view,
how can you not see a
necklace?
·The complete study of a
brassiere.
·P-A & Lateral Views
Patient with arms across chest
·Make sure the arms are
to the patient’s sides and
out of the view on A-P or
P-A views.
Patient with arm to side
·Make sure the arms are
properly positioned for
lateral views.
Metallic artifacts on Lumbar View
·Intern took film with
patient in shorts.
·Shorts had metal
eyelets for the drawstrings.
·Something in pocket.
Lateral Gonad Shield
·It is very important to
remove the shield after it is
used.
·The patient was too
large to be done P-A.
Fingers in the spine
·Keep the hands above
the lumbar spine when
taking the lateral view.
 Cassette Artifact: Dirty Screens
·Dirty or damaged
screens will cause white
spots on the image.
·The white spots on this
film are the result of
damaged or worn out
screens.
·Never use alcohol or
detergents to clean
screens.
 Poor Screen Contact
·Note the blurry image in
the spine but sharp image
of the ribs.
·The screens were not in
proper contact in the
middle of the cassette due
to a bow in the cassette
back.
 Processing artifacts
·Processing artifacts are produced during the time
the film is in the film processor.
·Processing artifacts can be eliminated with a
proper processor quality control program and
frequent cleaning.
·Occasionally the best film processor will jam or
malfunction and produce artifacts.
 Common Processing Artifacts
APPEARANCE
Guide shoe marks
Pi lines
Sharp increase or decrease in OD
Uniform dull gray fog
Dichroic Stain or “curtain effect”
CAUSE
Improper position of guide shoes in turn-around
assembly.
Dirt or chemical stains on rollers
Dirty or warped rollers
Improper or bad chemistry
Improper squeezing or processing chemicals from film

Small circular patterns of increased OD Pressure cause by irregular or dirty rollers

Yellow-brown drops on film Oxidized developer
Milky appearance Under replenished fixer
Greasy appearance Inadequate washing
Brittle appearance Improper dryer temperature or hardener in the fixer
 Film Guide Scratches
·Guide shoes scratches
are parallel and run in the
direction of film travel.
·Occur when the guide
shoes in the turnaround
assembly of the processor
are sprung or improperly
positioned.
 DIRTY ROLLER
·Can cause emulsion pick-off and gelatin
buildup, which results in sludge deposits on the
film
·These artifacts appear as sharp areas of
increase OD or decrease OD.
·Occasionally these particles of sludge are
transported through the processor and are
actually dried on the film in the dryer.
 Other Processing Artifacts
·Here we see hesitation
marks on top of film.
·This film remained in the
developer too long.
Perhaps from:
vPower Failure
vProcessor jam
 Other Processing Artifacts
·This is what
contaminated developer
looks like.
·Contaminated developer
can also appear as a pink
film.
 Processor Chemical Marks
·This artifact is called a
run back artifact.
·Proper cleaning of the
cross over rollers can
reduce the incidence of
this artifact.
 DICHROIC ARTIFACT
·Appears as a curtain effect on the radiograph.
·All chemical stains are referred to as Dichroic
Stains.
·Dichroic stains on the radiograph, appear as
yellow, green, blue or purple.
 Processor Water Marks
·These spots are the
result of water spots on
the film.
·The upper rollers in the
wash tank are supposed to
squeegee the film.
 Chemical Run Down Artifact
·If the squeegee rollers in
the developer rack do not
work, the chemicals run
down the film forming the
appearance of water
running down a window.
 Kissing Artifacts
·If more than one film is
feed into the processor at
once, only one side of the
emulsion will be
completely processed.
·By running the film
through the fixer, the
undeveloped emulsion can
be fixed and the image will
be less degraded.
·By running the film
through the fixer, the
undeveloped emulsion can
be fixed and the image will
be less degraded.
 Dirty Developer Rollers
·The rollers in the
developer tank or cross
over are dirty.
·This causes the black
artifacts on the middle of
the film.
·Oxidized developer is
left on the film.
 Tractor Marks from Film Jam
·Marks that appear as
tractor tracks on the upper
left portion of the film are
referred to as Tractor
Marks.
·Result of film being feed
crocked and jamming the
processor.
 Film Handling Artifacts
·A number of artifacts can occur while the film is
in storage, in the darkroom or in the x-ray room.
·Film is sensitive to heat and humidity.
·After exposure it is very sensitive to fog from
lighting problems in the darkroom.
·Improper handling can cause artifacts.
·All handling artifacts are avoidable!!!!
 Common Handling and Storage
Artifacts
APPEARANCE CAUSE
Fog üThe temperature or humidity too high.
üSafelight too bright, too close or wrong filter.
üLight leak or other light in darkroom.
üFilm left in x-ray room during other exposure.

Pressure or kink marks üRough handling of film.

üThe film is stacked too high in storage
Streaks of increased OD üFilm not completely in processor when darkroom
door opened.
üThe darkroom or cassette has light leaks

Crown, tree or smudge static Humidity or temperature too low

Yellow-brown stain Thiosulfate left on film due to improper washing
 Film Handling Artifacts
·Crescent shaped artifact
is a nail crinkle mark. It is
caused by improper film
handling.
·Black spots are
scratches from work
surface.
·The door to the
darkroom was opened
before the film was
completely in the
processor.
·The top of the film is
exposed to light by
opening to darkroom door
or turning on the lights with
the box open.
·This could also be the
result of light leaks within
the cassette.
·Some roller artifacts are
seen caused by developer
being on the entrance
rollers.
·Cause: Pulling a film
out of the processor
feed tray.
 Static Electricity
·Static electricity
discharge may appear as
a tree or lightning strike.
·It may also produce
round smudges.
·Keep humidity in area at
proper level.
 Film Not in Box left in Film Bin
·The box that the film
comes in serves as
protection from scratching.
·If you take too many
sheets out, replace excess
film in box not just in the
bin.
 Improperly Washed Film
·If the wash tank is not
properly filled, fixer is
retained on the emulsion.
·The retained fixer form
silver sulfide and turns the
image brown.
 SUMMARY
PROCESSING EXPOSURE ARTIFACTS HANDLING and
ARTIFACTS STORAGE ARTIFACTS

ØEmulsion pickoff ØMotion ØLight fog

ØGelatin buildup ØImproper patient ØRadiation fog
ØCurtain effect position ØStatic
ØChemical fog ØWrong screen-film ØKink marks
ØGuide-shoe marks match ØHypo retention stain
ØPi lines ØPoor screen contact Øscratches
ØWet pressure ØDouble exposure
sensitization ØWarped cassettes
ØDichroic stain ØImproper grid position
End of Lecture
Thank you