XERORADIOGRAPHY

AND
SPOT RADIOGRAPHY
SUBMITTED TO – DR. PALLAVI VERMA

SUBMITTED BY – PRANEY SLATHIA

REG. NO. – L-2020-V29-M
XERORADIOGRAPHY
• Xero means Dry
• It is one of the methods for obtaining
Radiographs.
• This method does not use conventional
photographic developers thus giving the
name Xeroradiography.
• Developed by Dr. Robert C. McMaster
• Picture of body is recorded on paper rather than the film.
• Plate of selenium resting on the layer of aluminum
oxide, charged uniformly by passing in front of a
Scorotron.
• Xray photon strikes the selenium coat and charge is
distributed upon the plate.
• This attracts the toner particles, in accordance to the
energy of X-ray due to photoconduction an image is
formed upon the reusable paper plates.
• Different from Halide chemical processing as does not
involve wet chemicals and dark room.
• Xerox 125 system is commonly used.
• Better than halide technology for dental imaging.
• Also been in use for diagnosis of breast cancer via
 THE FUNCTIONAL STEPS
• Xeroradiography is an electrostatic
process which uses an amorphous
selenium photoconductor material,
vacuum deposited on an aluminum
substrate, to form a plate.
• The key functional steps in the process
involve the sensitization of the
photoconductor plate in the charging
station by depositing a uniform positive
charge on its surface with a corona-
emitting device called Scorotron.
• Uniform electrostatic charge placed on a
layer of selenium is in electrical contact
with a grounded, conductive backing.
• In the absence of
electromagnetic radiation,
the photoconductor
remains nonconductive and
with its uniform
electrostatic charge when
radiation is passed through
an object which will vary
the intensity of the
radiation.
• The photoconductor will
then conduct its
electrostatic charge into the
grounded base in
proportion to the intensity
of the exposure.
IMAGE DEVELOPMENT
• The generated latent image is developed through an
electrophoretic development process using liquid toner.
• The process involves the migration to and subsequent deposition
of toner particles suspended in a liquid onto an image reception
under the influence of electrostatic field forces.
• That is, by applying negatively charged powder (toner) which is
attracted to the residual positive charge pattern on the
photoconductor, the latent image is made visible and the image
can be transferred to a transparent plastic sheet or to paper.
• The toner is thereafter fixed to a receiver sheet onto which a
permanent record is made. The plate is then cleaned of toner for
reuse
THE XERORADIOGRAPHIC PLATE

• This plate is made up of a

9 ½ by 14 inch sheet of
aluminum, a thin layer of
vitreous or amorphous
selenium photoconductor,
an interface layer, and an
overcoating on the thin
selenium layer
THE ALUMINUM SUBSTRATE

• The substrate for the selenium photoconductor should

present a clean and smooth surface.
• Surface defects affect the xeroradiographic plate’s
sensitivity by giving rise to changes in the electrostatic
charge in the photoconductor.
THE INTERFACE LAYERED

• This is a thin layer of aluminum oxide between the

selenium photoconductor and aluminum substrate.
• The oxide is produced by heat treating the aluminum
substrate.
• As a nonconductor, the interface layer prevents charge
exchange between the substrate and the photoconductor
surface
THE SELENIUM COATING
• The thickness of this layer varies from 150 μm for powder
toner development plate to 320 μm for liquid toner
development.
• Because of its ease of use, fabrication and durability, inherent
property of electrically conducting when exposed to x-rays
and ability to insulate well when shielded from all sources of
light, make selenium a xeroradiographic material of choice.
• On the other hand, any form of impurity adversely affects its
performance. Amorphous form is used in xeroradiography
because crystalline selenium’s electrical conductivity is very
high which makes it unsuitable in xeroradiography.
SELENIUM PROTECTIVE
COATING
• The protective coating is a 0.1 μm Cellulose Acetate overcoat.
• The coat bonds intimately with selenium photoconductor.
• It helps to prevent degradation of electrostatic lateral image
through the prevention of lateral conduction of electrostatic
charges.
• Also, it impacts positively on the shelf life of the
xeroradiographic plate
 ADVANTAGES
• Elimination of accidental film exposure
• reasons being that large light intensity is required for
photoconduction and even when there is exposure, the charged area
intrinsically gets erased.

• High resolution
• The strengths of the fields are smaller at the center of charged ones
than at the edge, resulting in a greater number of powder particles
collections peripherally than in central charged areas. This greatly
enhances local contrast which, in turn, improves resolution and
image quality

• Simultaneous evaluation of multiple tissues

• different tissues to be evaluated in one film, because the technique
records tissues of differing thicknesses and densities in a
xeroradiograph
• Higher latitude of exposure factors
• Little image quality change in xeroradiography will require
large kilo-voltage variations. The end point is that chances of
incorrect exposure and retakes are highly slim

• Better ease and speed of production

• Economic benefit
• Reduced exposure to radiation hazards
• Wider applications
 DISADVANTAGES
• Technical difficulties
• Fragility of selenium coat
• It has been observed that the surface shows good resistance to
scratching, chipping and abrasion.

• Transient image retention

• Slower speed
• Technical limitations
• Such as increased dose of Xray administered.
SPOT FILM
RADIOGRAPHY
FLUOROSCOPY

• Fluoroscopy is a type of medical

imaging that shows a continuous X-
ray image on a monitor, much like
an X-ray movie. During a
fluoroscopy procedure, an X-ray
beam is passed through the body.
• Real time images are obtained.
• It is under the Direct Film Recording. Thus involves an
extended period of the radiation exposure, thus putting
the subject under risk.
• Now, to resolve this issue, the collimator can be
manipulated by focusing the beam on the particular
region of the body, this is called as spot film fluoroscopy.
• Only a portion of the body is exposed for examination.
And moreover a still image is recorded, for the particular
instant of aberration.
SPOT FILM DEVICE

• It is placed between the animal and

the image intensifier
• The current is adjusted from the
fluoroscopic value (5mA) to the
radiographic value
• It is chiefly done to get a still
image for record keeping.
• Generally for gastrointestinal imaging.
• Formatting mask can be applied to use same film for
multiple views
• The field of X-ray can be reduced by adjusting the
collimator.
DIFFERENCES

• More than one image on a single film.

• The magnification is more than the conventional
radiography
• The resolution is generally lower and lesser contrast than
the conventional radiography
• Radiation dose of spot film radiography is lesser
• Lesser scattering because of smaller field size
THANK YOU