Radiographic artifacts can be caused by issues during the exposure, processing, handling, or storage of x-ray films. They are divided into two categories - those that affect the entire film, and those that are localized to specific areas. Common whole-film artifacts include improper exposure, improper developing, fogging, and improper screen-film combination. Localized artifacts include static electricity marks, debris, chemical spills, light leaks, pressure marks, and objects within the x-ray beam. Proper technique and handling can help minimize artifacts and maximize image quality.

1. Radiographic Artifacts
Dr.Amandeep
L2013V40M
Department Of Veterianry Medicine
GADVASU

2. Introduction
 Structure or appearance that is not normally present
on the radiograph and is produced by artificial means
Detrimental to interpretation by decreasing
visualization or altering the appearance of area of
interest

3. Classification
• Processing
• Exposure
• Handling & Storage

4. Classification
 Simplify by dividing them into two broad categories:
◦ those that involve the entire film
◦ those that are localized to one or more areas on the
film

5. Various Artifacts

6. Improper Exposure

7. a. White radiograph
Too low mAs or kvp
Under estimated body part measurement
Inc FFD

8. b. Dark radiograph
Too high mAs or kVp
Over estimated body part measurementde
Dec FFD

9. Prevention
• Check settings
• Tube to film distance
• Body part measurement
• Avoid use of exhausted developer

10. Improper developing

11. a. Too dark b. Too light
– Film may have been in
the developer too long
– Developer temperature
may be too high
– Check the temperature of
the developer and adjust
time accordingly if hand
processing is done.
– Film may not have been
in the developer long
enough
– Developer temperature
may be too low & time
was not adjusted
accordingly
– Exhausted developer-
chemicals

12. c. Unevenly developed
– Chemical levels are uneven resulting in uneven
levels of developing and fixing
– Generally seen at top of the film when using hand
processing
– May also see uneven developing if the chemicals
are not stirred prior to use (hand processing)

13. Chemicals not Stirred
white
streaky
appearance
over the entire
film

14. Uneven Chemical Levels
not exposed, is developed,
and not fixed
not exposed, developed,
and partially fixed
exposed, developed, and
fixed
not exposed, but is
developed and fixed

15. d. Brown stains

16. Fog
• Any additional
unwanted density that
results in a gray film
• Loss of contrast which in
turn affects the image detail

17. Causes
• Excessive pressure
• Heat- film should be stored at <68 F
• Light- from outside source or safelight
• Humidity- should be 30-50%
• Chemical- over developing
• Old film
• Certain gases
• Scatter radiation

18. Prevention
• Store film in cool place with moderate humidity
• Store vertically & not stack.
• Check for any light leaks
• Safelight must be at proper spectrum & proper
distance from counter
• Use a grid when necessary

19. Improper Screen-Film Combination
• Results in poor quality images
• Given screen will emit a certain light spectrum
• Chosen film must be sensitive to that spectrum
• Films and screens are often classified as “blue” or
“green” & they must match

20. Grids
• If body part is greater than 10cm thick
• Grid must be leveled, within its focal zone & aligned
with beam
• Grids may be portable, or mounted permanently
beneath the table

21. Grid alignment

22. Grid alignment
Upside down grid
This results in extreme loss of
primary radiation at the
periphery, with near normal
transmission at the center.

23. Grid cut off
• Grid is not aligned with beam
• Results in absorption of primary radiation
• Image is too light and there is poor contrast
• Grid lines are visible as numerous very narrow
parallel lines

24. Too light and grid lines seen

25. Motion
• Image is blurred
• Resolution is poor
• May be motion of patient, tube, or cassette
• Problem especially with non-sedated animals
• Panting causes patient motion

26. Motion blurrness
blurry appearance edges are
unsharp

27. Prevention
• Sedate the animal
• Proper restraint
• Avoid hand holding cassettes
• NEVER hand hold x-ray unit

28. Screen/Cassette Abnormalities
• Old cassettes
– decreased
film-screen contact
=decreased detail
• Screen craze
– small cracks
throughout the screen-
these areas are underexposed

29. Double Exposures
• Film is darker than a single exposure
• May be the same image
– inadvertent double click.
– animal has not moved.
• May be two separate images
– generally a film is exposed, forgotten & not
developed, then exposed again

30. Double exposure

31. IMAGE OFF CENTRE
• using the bucky
– not pushed in all the way
– concurrent grid cutoff
• table top
– image not centered on the film
– will cause no problem with the image

32. TABLE TOP AND BUCKY NOT PUSHED IN

33. Localized Artifacts

34. Static Electricity
• two patterns-smudge and tree
• black marks on the film
• electrons are passed to the film during
handling therefore exposing the film
• common problem especially in cold dry
climates

35. STATIC ELECTRICITY

37. Avoiding Static Electricity
• maintain moderate humidity in the area
• do not slide the film across surfaces-this
excites electrons
• clean screens with a cleaner containing an
anti-static agent

38. Debris
• May be associated with the screen, on the cassette
or grid, or on the table or collimator window
• These are white artifacts
• Closer the debris is to the film, the sharper its
margins will appear
• Common debris includes hair, and dust particles
• Sometimes air is trapped on film

40. Rough Handling
• Black “crescent” marks
– film has been creased prior to processing
– very common problem
• White “crescent” marks
– similar cause to black marks but more severe
– termed “SOLARISATION”

42. Chemical Spills
• Streaks, spills or fingerprints
• Color will depend on specific chemical(s)
involved
• Developer causes black stains
• Fixer causes white stains
• Improper rinsing causes brown stains

44. Localized Fog-Light Leaks
• Common problem causing black areas (exposed)
• Multiple potential sources
– storage bin light leak
– cassette light leak
– light turned on during the time the film is being fed
into the processor

46. Localized Fog-Pressure
• Dark gray or black artifact
• Localized pressure applied to the film
• May be a result of rough handling
• Margins are often irregular and fuzzy

47. PRESSURE FOG AND EMULSION SCRATCHES

48. Objects Within the Beam
• Not related to the primary image
• Decreased the quality of the image
• Common sources include the whip on portable
machines, restraining devices, iv lines, ECG leads,
ET tubes, etc

50. Kissing Defect
• Can occur with
automatic or manual developing
• 2 films completely or
partially stick together
• Films are not properly processed
• Can see the outline of one
film on the other

51. Manual Restraint Artifacts
• Hands in the primary beam
• Gloved hands in the primary beam

52. • Remember that lead gloves do not
protect your hands within the
primary beam-they only protect
from scatter

53. Improper Positioning
• Animal not properly positioned
• Body parts such as front or hind legs
superimposed over thorax or abdomen
• Compromises radiographic evaluation
• Positioning is generally more difficult without
sedation

55. Thanks 