Processing Radiographic Film

Question 1

What is the term for data in unprocessed film?

Answer 1

The latent image

Question 2

What is the site where electrons are trapped thereby producing the latent image and what are these made of?

Answer 2

Sensitivity sites, made of silver bromide crystals and sulfur

Question 3

What types of interactions cause the removal of an electron from the bromide in the emulsion?

Answer 3

Compton and photoelectric

Question 4

The bromide is converted into what upon losing an electron?

Answer 4

Bromine

Question 5

Once an electron is removed from bromide it moves to the?

Answer 5

Sensitivity site

Question 6

With the electron embedded in the sensitivity site it is now negatively charged, what binds to it?

Answer 6

Silver ions which are positive

Question 7

With the silver ions in the sensitivity site, this creates an area of dark or light after processing?

Answer 7

Dark or radiolucencies

Question 8

How does developer work?

Answer 8

Converts latent image sites to grain of solid silver by reducing the silver ions to silver grains, therefore DOES NOT WORK ON UNEXPOSED SITES

Question 9

What is the purpose of fixer?

Answer 9

Removes unexposed silver bromide creating clear areas or radiopacities

Question 10

What are the 5 steps of film processing?

Answer 10

1. Immersed in developer
2. Rinsed in water bath
3. Immersed in fixer
4. Washed in water bath
5. Dried

Question 11

Which step is skipped in automated processing?

Answer 11

Rinsing in a water bath following developer

Question 12

What are the 4 components of developing solution?

Answer 12

1. Activator
2. Preservative
3. Restrainer
4. Developer

Question 13

What are the two components of developer?

Answer 13

Phenidone and hydroquinone

Question 14

What is the purpose of activator?

Answer 14

Raises the pH of developer to about 10 since its only active at an alkaline pH

Question 15

What is the purpose of preservative?

Answer 15

Prevent oxidation of the developer and extend its useful life

Question 16

What is the preservative made of?

Answer 16

Sodium sulfite

Question 17

What is restrainer made of?

Answer 17

Potassium bromide and benzotriazole

Question 18

What is restrainer used for?

Answer 18

Prevent development of unexposed silver bromide crystals, prevents fogging

Question 19

Why do we rinse the film with water after using developer?

Answer 19

Drops pH and stops developer activity and prevents deactivation of the fixer which is acidic

Question 20

What can happen to the film if fixer is not used?

Answer 20

The film is dark and non-diagnostic

Question 21

What are the 4 components of fixer?

Answer 21

Clearing agent
Acidifier
Preservative
Hardener

Question 22

The clearing agent contains what? What is its purpose?

Answer 22

Ammonium thiosulfate

Clears unexposed silver halide

Question 23

Acidifier is made of what acid? What are its purposes?

Answer 23

Acetic acid

Maintains a constant acidic pH and inactivates any remaining developing solution

Question 24

What is the hardening agent made of and what is its purpose?

Answer 24

Aluminum sulfate which combines with gelatin to make the emulsion less prone to damage from handling

Question 25

If thiosulfate and silver thiosulfate are left in the emulsion, what will be seen on the radiographs?

Answer 25

Brown stains

Question 26

How long can a film be exposed to a safelight?

Answer 26

5 minutes

Question 27

A safe light can be how many watts and how far from the film?

Answer 27

15 watts and a minimum of 4 feet from the film

Question 28

The type of filter used in a safelight is?

Answer 28

Red GBX-2

Question 29

What are the 3 components of a processing tank from left to right?

Answer 29

Developer, water bath, fixer

Question 30

When film is placed on the drying rack, a fan should be pointed?

Answer 30

Nearby but not directly at the film to hasten drying

Question 31

In the developing and rinsing step of manual processing we?

Answer 31

1. Put the film into developing solution and alginate to dislodge air bubbles 2. Remove the film shortly after its finished 3. Rinse or alginate the film for 30 seconds

Question 32

What is the next step after developing and rinsing?

Answer 32

Fix and wash, alginate the film for 5 seconds every 30 seconds

Question 33

How long are films fixed and then rinsed for?

Answer 33

Fixed for twice the developing time and rinsed for three times the developing time

Question 34

If you develop at higher temperatures does it take more or less time?

Answer 34

Less time

Question 35

What is the drawback to developing at higher than normal temperatures?

Answer 35

Increasingly grainy images

Question 36

How long does automated processing take?

Answer 36

4.5 to 8 minutes

Question 37

What is a daylight loader?

Answer 37

Miniature darkroom that allows films to be unwrapped under safelight conditions

Question 38

What does the roller transport do?

Answer 38

Carries unwrapped film from one section of the automated processor to the next

Question 39

The squeegee action of the roller may?

Answer 39

Increase the energy of the developer, boosting film speed from E to F speed

Question 40

Since the roller transport effectively speeds up film, what does this mean in terms of exposure?

Answer 40

We can lower it and get the same film quality

Question 41

What are downsides to automated processors?

Answer 41

Grainy images due to higher temperatures Roller marks Mechanical breakdowns Meticulous care of processors