College of Dentistry

241 MDS

Dr. Asma’a Al-Ekrish

OMF Radiology
 Matter:
Anything that occupies space and has mass

 When matter is altered energy results

 • Electrons (-ve
charge)
Nucleus
• Neutrons (no
charge)
• Protons
(+ve charge)
 Atomic
Number:
Number of
#of protons
Protons
=
Number of Atomic Mass:
Electrons Protons +
neutrons
 Electrons in orbital shells
 Shell closer to nucleus
has a higher binding
energy
 Electrons need to
have high energy to
overcome binding
energy and move to
outer shell
Maximum of 7 shells
 Radiation:
Emission and propagation of energy in the form of
waves or particles
Particulate (corpuscular) Electromagnetic

Transfer of energy Transfer of energy

by in the form of waves
high velocity at the speed of light
subatomic particles and as a combination of

(  and  particles, electric and magnetic fields

protons and neutrons )
(  and X rays)
 Radioactive Decay

Process by which unstable atoms undergo

spontaneous disintegration to achieve a more
stable state
 Radioactive Decay


 rays Electromagnetic waves

particles
particles

Decaying
radioactive
material
 Radiating energy
accompanied by
electric and
magnetic fields
Natural
or
- in phase and
Man-made ┴
to eachother

- ┴ to direction of
 EM radiations may
a.Travel as waves
b.Be characterized as discrete bundles of energy
known as photons ( having no mass or
weight )
Light rays
UV rays
Infra-red radiation
Radio waves
Gamma rays

X - rays
High energy EM
radiations
arranged
according to
their energy

High energy

Low energy Ionizing

 X-rays travel in straight lines.

 X-rays travel at the same speed of light

 (186 000 miles / second)

 X-rays are invisible, weightless, we cannot see,

hear, or feel them.

 X-rays cannot be reflected, refracted, or

focused to a point
 X-rays can be deflected from their original
direction but the new trajectory is also straight.

 X-rays carry no electric charge and cannot be

deviated with a magnet.
 X-rays can produce ionization of the substances
they strike forming ion pairs, therefore they are
called ionizing radiation.
Ion Pair
=
Ejected electron:
negative ion
+
Remaining atom:
X-ray photon
positive ion
 Penetration
 Extremely short wave length allows
penetration of substances opaque to
light.
 Penetration is selective- depending on :
Light

• Density of the object they strike. X-rays

• Wave length of x-rays.

Shorter wave length = more penetration

 Photographic Effect
 X-rays have an effect on photographic films like that effect of
light.
 They produce a latent image on the film that is invisible, but
can be seen by chemical processing of the film.

processing

Latent image Visible image

 Fluorescence
 X-rays cause certain substances to fluoresce i.e. emit
visible light (radiation of longer wave length).

 Intensifying screens are based on the fluorescent properties

of x-rays.
X-rays + Light
Principle of Intensifying Screens
X-RAY FILM

I . SCREEN
Visible X - rays
light

 Less x-rays are needed

 Biologic Effects-
 X-rays cause biological damaging effects, both somatic and
genetic , a fact that necessitates caution in their use.
X- rays are produced when electrons traveling at
high speed strike matter.
Electron
cloud
Essential requirements:
Fast
1. A source of electrons. electrons

2. A generating system to
give speed to these
electrons.
3. Matter, which is the Heat
target for electrons to
strike. X-rays
1- Components

2- X-ray Tube

3- The Generating
System
 Tubehead

• X-ray tube

• Tubehead accessories.

Tubehead
 Positioning
arms

 Tubehead.

• Tubehead accessories.

 Positioning arms.
 Tubehead.

• Tubehead accessories.
Control
 Positioning arms. panel

 Control Panel
 X-ray Tubehead
Heavy metal housing which
contains:
X-ray tube
Transformers
Insulating oil
Tubehead
Tubehead accessories
 X-ray Tubehead
Function of metal housing:
1- Protects tubehead
2- Prevents unnecessary radiation
exposure to surroundings
3- Grounds high voltage components
Tubehead
 X-ray Tubehead

Transforme
rs

ead
h
Position be
Tu
indicating I D I D
device P P b e
tu
ay
r
X-
 Positioning
arms

Positioning Arms
1. Support and suspend the x-ray
tubehead
2. Allow for movement and
positioning of the tubehead.
3. House the electrical wires that
extend from the control panel to
the tubehead.
 Control Panel
Other features may include:
 Main on/off switch
Film speed selector
 Timer Patient size selector
 Exposure time selector-
kVp selector
 Warning light and audible
mA selector
signal
Digital and film mode
selector
 Control Panel
Adjusts time exposure down to a fraction
of a second

Types
Electronic (impulse)
Digital timer
Time selectors (anatomical timers).
1- Components

2- X-ray Tube

3- The Generating System

 Cathode Cathode Anode

 Anode

 Glass envelope
 X-ray Tube
Leaded glass housing Vacuum

Cathode Anode
Copper
arm
 Line – focus
principle

The use of a 200

angle of target face
(anode) provides a
small Anode
effective focal
spot.
 Line – focus principle

Actual
focal spot size 
Actual
 Line – focus principle

Effective
focal spot size

Actual Effective

Looking up at target through
open end of PID
Function of Cathode:
 Supply electrons necessary
Cathode
for x-ray production Anode

Function of anode:
 Convert energy of electrons
into x-rays
M.Ekram
 1 mm
• Aluminum disks between the x-ray
tube and collimator.
• Function: allows only the passage
of the more penetrating radiation (short
wavelength- high energy) 1 mm

• Longer wavelength and low-

energy waves useless in radiography
and dangerous to the patient
 PID Long wave length
X-ray beam

Short wave length x Inherent

filtration

x
Filter
(added)
Tube-head
A metal part (lead) with opening to allow the passage of x-
rays.

Function: restrict
(limit) the size and
shape of the x-ray
beam just to cover the
film. Round collimator Rectangular collimator

Diaphragm collimator
 PID
X-ray beam

x x

x x

Collimator Tube-head
 Collimation used for SAFETY to reduce radiation
exposure to the patient
 Also increases sharpness of image (reduced scatter)

Wide beam
Narrow beam
An open-ended, lead lined cylindrical or rectangular extension
from the opening of the metal housing of the tubehead.
Lengths available: Short (8-inch)
Long (16-inch).
Long (12-inch)
Length of PID 8 & 16 inches according to the technique followed
Pointed plastic cones:
non-collimation of the beam
extreme scatter radiation
no longer used
illegal in some countries.

N.B. The PID was referred to previously as the cone.

Cylindrical PID Rectangular PID
collimating device collimating device
1- Components

2- X-ray Tube

3- The Generating System

Volt : Is the measurement of electrical force that
causes electrons to move from a negative pole to
a positive one.

Kilovolt (kV) = 1000 volt

Kilovolt peak (kVp) : the crest value of

voltage
Ampere : Is the measurement of current
Determines the number of electrons moving through a
conductor.

milliampare ( mA) = 1/1000 of an ampere

Milliampare second ( mAs) : it measures the quantity of

radiation exposure
Exposure = mA X second
 Step-up Step-down
transformer transformer
Auto-
transformer
Determines kVp
and corrects minor
fluctuations in
current
3-5 volts 70,000 volts

240 volts
 Electron
cloud

 The electric current

passing through the Fast
tube (220 volt ) will be electrons

reduced to (around 10
volts) using a step-down
transformer.
 Electron
cloud
 The tungsten filament of
the cathode becomes
Fast
red-hot and liberates electrons

free electrons to form an

electron cloud. This
process is called
thermionic emission
(low voltage circuit).
 Why is tungsten used?
 Electron
cloud
 A very high voltage
(60-70 kV) is
generated by means Fast
of a step-up electrons

transformer.

 The electrons acquire

a very great velocity
and are then attracted Heat
to the anode (high
voltage circuit).
X-rays
 Electron
cloud
 Fast moving electrons
strike the anode : Fast
electrons
kinetic energy

heat + x-rays
X-rays = less than 1% Heat
Heat = about 99%
X-rays
The process of changing alternating current into direct current.

+ Alternating current waveform

voltage

+ + +
_ _ Time

target positive; target negative; target positive;

electrons flow no electron flow electrons flow
 (+) voltage

Half wave rectification Alternating current waveform Full wave rectification

(+) voltage
(+) voltage

Time
Time
X-ray X-ray
production production

Time
Time
 (+) voltage

Alternating current waveform

(+) voltage

 More efficient
Time

X-ray
 More high energy
photons
production

Time  Shorter exposure times

Constant-potential rectification
Constant-potential generator
 timer

Off/On oil

filament filter

exposure
button
 Safe and accurate.
 Simple to operate.
 Small in size.
 Stable, balanced, and robust.
 Easily folded and stored.
 Has an adequate mechanism
for heat removal.
 Not less than 7 mA.
 Not less than 65 kVp.
 Small focal spot size
 Adequate filtration and collimation.
 A digital timer that can
accommodate digital systems.
 Film sensitivity mode selector.
 An error self diagnostic system.
 An adequate post-sale service.
Principles of Dental Imaging (chapters 1&2)
By: Langland, Langlais, Preece
Thank You

Questions?