Element of Image Sharpness

• Recorded detail is the

sharpness of the lines
of the image.
• Distortion is the
misrepresantation of
of the true size or
shape of the image
compared to the
object.
 What impacts the recorded
detail?
• Focal spot size
• Object to Image Distance (OID) or Object
to Film Distance (OFD)
• Source to Image Distance (SID) or Focal
Film Distance (FFD)
• Screen to Film Contact & Screen Speed
• Motion
 What impacts Distortion?
• Object Image Distance (OID) or Object
Film Distance (OFD)
• Source Image Distance (SID) or Focal Film
Distance (FFD)
• Object Alignment
• Film Alignment
• Central Ray Alignment
 Selecting the Focal Spot
• The operator has total
control over the focal
spot.
• The “S” indicates the
small focal spot is
selected.
 Selecting the Focal Spot
• Selecting “S” will
mean the voltage will
be applied to the small
filament.
• Selecting “L” will
apply the voltage to
the large filament.
 Focal Spot Size Selection
• The x-ray beam is
more tightly focused
when the small focal
spot is selected.
• The edge sharpness is
improved because of
less shadow or
penumbra.
Small Focal Spot
• Advantages
– Reduced penumbra
– OFD can be increased
with minimal loss of
detail.
• Disadvantages
– Lower mA selection
due to tube heating
– Longer exposure times
that can cause patient
motion
 Screen and Film Speed
• The type of film and
materials used in the
screens will determine
the speed of the film
& screen combination.
• Small phosphors in the
screens and grain in
the film will produce
sharper images.
 Screen and Film Speed
• Speed is determined
by the system’s RSV
or Relative Speed
Value.
• High RSV needs less
radiation but have
lower recorded detail.
 Focal Spot and OFD
• When the object is far away from the film
more shadows of the edges are produced
resulting in a loss of sharpness.
– The shadow is greater with the large focal spot.
– Using the small focal spot will reduce the
unsharpness.
 Inverse Square Law
• The intensity of the beam is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance.
• This law can be used to compute patient or
staff radiation exposure.
• If you double your distance from the
source, the exposure is reduced 75%.
 Inverse Square Law
• The intensity of the beam is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance.
• To adjust the mAs for a different SID, the
following formula is used.
Old mAs x New Distance2
• New mAs = ------------------------
Old distance 2
 Inverse Square Law Exercise
If 5 mAs was used at a 40” SID, what mAs
would be used at 20” SID?
Old SID: 40” New SID: 20”
Old mAs: 5 New mAs: ?
 Inverse Square Law
5 mAs x 20” 2
New mAs = -------------------------
40” 2
5 x 400
mAs = --------------------- = 1.25 mAs

1600
SID and Sharpness

Longer SID = Less Unsharpness

 OFD & Focal Spot Exercise
• A P-A view of the
hand is taken at a 20”
SID with the hand
resting on the cassette.
• Notice how close the
tube is to the hand.
Would the skin dose
be more than at 40”
SID?
 OFD & Focal Spot Exercise
• A second exposure is
made with the hand
raised 3.5” above the
film. The SID remains
at 20”.
• Would the patient
exposure be increased
or decreased?
• Increased!!!
 OFD & Focal Spot Exercise
• What happened when
the hand was moved
away from the film or
the OFD was
increased?
• The image lost
resolution.
 Unsharpness Factor
• Using this formula we can compute the loss
of geometric unsharpness caused by focal
spot and Object to Film Distance problems.
Focal Spot X OID
• Unsharpness = ----------------------------
SOD
 Unsharpness Factor

Image A Small Focal Spot short OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 1mm x 5 mm /470mm =
0.010

Image B Small Focal Long OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 1mm x 87mm/390mm
=0.223
 Unsharpness Factor

Image A Large Focal Spot Short OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 2mm x 5 mm /470mm =
0.0212

Image B Large Focal Long OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 2mm x 87mm/390mm
=0.4461 Very poor image
 Impact of SID and OFD on
Image Quality
• We usually
want to get
the body part
as close to the
film as
possible to
reduce
magnification
distortion.
 Impact of SID and OFD on
Image Quality
• When we
can’t get the
part close to
the film, the
SID should be
increased.
 Technique adjustment
• If 2 mAs was used at the 34” SID, what
mAs would be used at 68”?
• New mAs = Old mAs x new distance 2
» Old distance2
• New mAs = 2 x 682 / 342 = 8
• If the distance is doubled, the mAs will be
the square of the difference or 4 x 2 = 8
34 “ SID 68” SID
 Magnification Distortion
• 1. Compare the images on films labeled 34
inches and 68 inches.
– Evaluate the image size and detail. Are both
films the same?
 Magnification Distortion
• 1. The images are not the same. The films
taken at 68” are smaller and sharper.
• 2. What observations can be made when the
image is close to the film and when it is
away from the film?
 Magnification Distortion
• 2. The amount of magnification is
determined by the Object to Image
Distance.
• The Source to Image Distance impacts the
magnification distortion. Longer SID will
produce less magnification.
Comparison of Magnified Views
 Degrees of Magnification
• 3. Compare the magnification views for
sharpness.
• The 68” view has less magnification
distortion and is sharper than the 34” view.
• Note: When comparing magnification and
changes in SID, do so with the magnified
view. The shortest SID will have the most
magnification usually.
 Magnification Distortion
• If we know the size of the object, the SID
and the OID we can compute the
magnification factor using this formula
Source to Image Distance
Magnification =Source to Object Distance
20” SID 68” SID
 Magnification Distortion
• 4. Compare the 68” films to the 20” films.
– The films taken at 20” have more
magnification distortion.
– When we want the least amount of
magnification distortion, a 72” SID is used.
 Magnification Distortion
• If a long SID produces the least
magnification distortion, why don’t we take
all films with a long SID?
• Radiation dose and tube limits. At 72” it
takes 3.5 times more radiation to produce
the same image. This would result in longer
exposure times and shorter tube life.