X-RAY FILMS

• INTRODUCTION
• The X-ray films, Help us to record information
regarding the object (tissue) through which the x-ray
passes & hence they greatly help in diagnosis and
treatment of the patient problem.
(Karjodar , 2nd edition.)
• Image recorded on film is caused by exposure to x –
ray photons

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 HISTORY

• In 1812, The first x-rays were recorded on glass

plates.

• These were coated with emulsion on one side only.

The exposure dose was quiet high.

• In 1839, the phenomenon of development was

discovered by Louis Dagurre

• One year later, it was discovered that treating

exposed silver chloride paper with sodium chloride
would make the image permanent.
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• Nitrocellulose based film was used in 1914 for
recording x-rays. This film was single emulsion
but was quiet flammable.

• It was later discovered that double emulsion

responded x-rays faster.

• In 1924, safety film made of cellulose triacetate

replaced by the nitrocellulose based film.

• In 1960, first medical radiograph using a polyester

base was introduced.
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 COMPOSITION

X- ray film

Base Adhesive Emulsion

Polyester Silver halide Vehicle

Polyethylene
terephthalate grains matrix

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X-RAY FILM - CROSS SECTION

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 BASE

• It is transparent supporting material upon which

emulsion coated.

• Composed of polyester polyethylene terephthalate.

• Thickness – 0.18 mm

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• Ideal properties

• Flexibility ,thickness, & strength.

• Structural support for emulsion.

• Translucent and casts no pattern on the resultant

radiograph.

• Dimensional stability.

• Non- flammable.
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• Base with a slightly blue tint improve viewing of
diagnostic details.

• Adopted in 1933, blue tint was added to the x-ray

film in an effort to produce a film that was easier to
look at.

• Causes less eye strain.

• present x-ray films are blue tinted.

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 ADHESIVE LAYER

• Also called as Substratum (sub-coating) layer.

• A thin layer of adhesive material is added to the base

before emulsion is applied.

• Ensure good adhesion of the emulsion to the film

base.

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 EMULSION

• Two principle components – 1. silver halide grains

2. vehicle.

• Emulsion is coated on both sides of the base, silver halide

crystals suspended homogeneously in gelatin.

• Film emulsions are sensitive to both x-ray photons and

visible light.

• Direct exposure films – intended to be exposed by x-rays.

• Screen films – sensitive to visible light, is used with

intensifying screens that emits visible light.
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• Silver halide granules

• These are photosensitive.

• Composition : - silver bromide ( 90-99%)

- silver iodide (1-10%)

• Silver iodide is added to Ultra speed film to increase

sensitivity to x-radiation of silver bromide crystals.

• Iodide is not used in InSight films.

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• InSight films – The silver halide grains are flat,
tubular crystals with mean diameter of 1.8 µm.

• The tubular are oriented parallel with the film

surface to offer a large cross sectional area to the x-
ray beam.

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• Ultra-speed – composed of globular shaped
crystals about 1µm in diameter.

• As a result, InSight films requires only about

half the exposure of Ultra-speed films.
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• The photosensitivity of silver halide crystals also
depends on presence of trace amount of sulfur
containing compounds.

• In addition, trace amount of gold are added to silver

halide crystals to improve their sensitivity.

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• Vehicle

• The vehicle, composed of gelatinous and non

gelatinous materials.

• The silver halide grains are suspended in

surrounding vehicle that is applied on both sides of
supporting base.

• Keeps the silver halide evenly dispersed.

• During processing the gelatin absorbs processing

solution and allows to react with the halide grains.
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Super coat ( over coat)

• Additional layer of vehicle is added to the film

emulsion.

• Serve as protective barrier of the film from damage

by scratching , contamination or pressure from roller
during automatic processing.

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 THE X-RAY FILMS ARE CLASSIFIED
ACCORDING TO
A. where they are placed
a) Intraoral films
1. Periapical films
2. Occlusal films
3. Bite wing films
b) Extraoral films

B. The coating of emulsion

a) Single coated
b ) Double coated

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 INTRAORAL X-RAY FILM

• Direct exposure film is used for intraoral

examinations. It provides higher resolution images
than screen- film combinations.

• The intraoral x-ray film is made as double emulsion

film. Less radiation can be used to produce an image.

• One corner of each film has a small raised dot used

for film orientation.

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• The intraoral films are available in plastic film
packets.

• The film packets consist of

1. contains one or two sheets of films.
2. An outer plastic wrapping.
- made up of vinyl.
- two sides tube side and label side.
3. The film encased in black paper.

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4. Thin lead foil backing with an embossed pattern. The
lead foil serves several purposes.
- shields the film from backscatter radiation.
- reduces patient exposure.
- secondary function give sufficient rigidity to film
packet.

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 Periapical view

• Used to record the crowns, roots, and surrounding

bone.
• The film packs come in three sizes
- size 0 for small children (22 × 35 mm).
- size 1 for anterior adult projections (24 ×40 mm).
- size 2 for posterior adult projections ( 31 ×41 mm).

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 Occlusal view

• Three times larger than size 2 film ( 57×76 mm)

• Used to show larger areas of maxilla & mandible.

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 FORMATION OF LATENT IMAGE

• When a beam of photons exits an object and exposes

an x-ray film, it chemically changes the
photosensitive silver halide crystals in the film
emulsion. These chemically altered silver bromide
constitute the latent (invisible) image on the film.

• These chemical changes in the crystals to chemical

action developing process that coverts the latent
image into manifest (visible) image.

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• The film emulsion is made up of silver bromide
crystals and silver iodide crystals have been
precipitated in gelatin.

• Precipitation reaction
AgNO₃ + KBr → AgBr + KNO ₃

• The silver Iodo- Bromide crystals in the emulsion is in

the form of crystals suspended in gelatin

• Crystals are formed by ions of Ag, Br, I arranged in

cubic lattice

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Crystal lattice

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• Crystal defects

• Point defects – consists of a silver ion that has move

of its normal position in crystal lattice ( interstitial
ions)

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• Chemical sensitization

• Chemical sensitization of crystals are produced by

adding trace amount of sulfur containing compound
to emulsion.

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31
Gurney Mott hypothesis

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• when silver halide crystals are irradiated,

• X-ray photons primarily reacts bromide ions, loses

the electron from bromide ion and converted into
neutral bromine atom.

• Free electron move through crystal until they reach

to a sensitivity site, where they become trapped and
impart negative charge to the site

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• Negatively charge then attracts positively charged
interstitial silver ion, where they reduced and form
neutral atom of metallic silver. These sites containing
these neutral silver atoms is now called as latent
image site.

• Film processing covert latent image into visible

image.

• The neutral silver atoms at each latent image site

render the crystals sensitive to development and
image formation.

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• The developer converts silver bromide crystals
with neutral silver atoms deposited at latent
image site into black, solid silver metallic
grains.

• Fixer removes undeveloped, unexposed silver

bromide crystal, leaving the film clear in
unexposed areas.

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THANK YOU.

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