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1. X-RAY FILM PROCESSING
Presented by Prativa Khanal
Bscmit 1st year
National Medical college and Teaching hospital

2. INTRODUCTION
 Film processing refers to the chemical treatment of
radiographic film to convert the latent image captured on
the film into a visible image. Film processing is an essential
and is typically performed in a darkroom or by a
professional film processing service.

3. PURPOSE OF FILM PROCESSING
 To develop the invisible aerial image into a visible
permanent image by converting exposed silver(Ag)
halide crystals from the film emulsion to metallic silver

4. TYPES OF FILM PROCESSING
• MANUAL FILM PROCESSING
• AUTOMATIC FILM PROCESSING

5. STEPS IN MANUAL PROCESSING
• Developing
• Rinsing
• Fixing
• Washing
• Drying

6. Developing
 First step of manual processing
 Invisible image is converted into visible by chemical
processing
 Developer used in this step is reducing agent which
donates the electron

7. CONSTITUENTS OF DEVELOPER
 Solvent: Water, mixing and dilution of chemicals
 Developing agent: Phenidone Hydroquinone(PQ) and
Metol Hydroquinone(MQ)-reduces the exposed Ag halide to black
metallic silver
 Acclerator: Potassium hydroxide(KOH) or potassium carbonate
(K2CO3)-makes developer soln alkaline(pH-9.8 to 11.4)

8.  Restrainer: Potassium bromide or sodium bromide-keep basic
development fog minimum so it is called as anti-fog agent
 Preservative: Sodium or Potassium Sulphite- prevents rate of
aerial oxidation of the developing agent
 Buffer: Boric acid with sodium hydroxide-maintains the pH of
the developer soln.

9.  Hardener: Glutaraldehyde-prevents jamming & damage to the
film from over swelling of gelatin
 Sequestering agent: EDTA(Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acidic Acid)-
prevent the precipitation of insoluble mineral salts
 Fungicide and bactericides: Phenol-prevent growth of bacteria
& fungi on soln..

10. FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPING
 TIME: standard time is about 4-5min for manual processing.
If developing time is long ,film appears dark and vice versa
 TEMPERATURE: standard tempr 20-25°C
 AGITATION: reduces the time of development and prevent
air ball marks
 EXHAUSTION OF SOLN: bromine ions goes into developer
which decreases the developing action
 TYPES OF EMUSION: developer soln takes longer time to
penetrate a thick emulsion than a thin one

11. RINSING
 2ND step in manual processing
 Helps to prevent further development after removing
the film from developer tank
 Two methods:
 Water rinse method
 Acid stop bath

12. FIXING
 Third step in manual processing
 Removes the unexposed silver halide without damaging
the image
 Purpose of fixing is:
 To prevent further development
 To clear the image
 To fix the image

13. CONSTITUENTS OF FIXER
 Solvent: water-dissolves the constituents.
 Fixing agent: Sodium or Ammonium Thiosulphate-react with
unexposed Ag halides to produce water soluble silver complex
which are deposited in fixing solution
AgBr+Sodium thiosulphate → AG thiosulphate complex+Ag
 Acid:Acetic acid- neutralized alkaline developer and make acidic
medium(PH-4 to 4.5)
 Hardener:Aluminium chloride or Al sulphate-reduce swelling of
emulsion during processing

14.  Buffer:-Sod acetate with acetic acid- to maintain PH of fixer
 Preservatives:-Sodium sulfite-prevent decomposition of fixing
agents & prevent the solution from decompose
 Anti-sluding agent:-Boric acid-prevent the formation of sludge
in fixer solution

15. FACTOR AFFECTING FIXING SOLUTION
 Type of fixing agent used- Ammonium thiosulphate is
more rapid in action than sodium thiosulphate
 Tempr of solution- Increasing temperature of fixing
solution result in shorter clearing time
 Concentration of fixing agent-higher concentration of
fixing agent result in shorter fixing time
 Thickness of emulsion-thick emulsion takes more time
than thin emulsion

16. WASHING
 Fourth step of manual processing
 Tap water is used in washing the film
 If not washed properly ,a yellow brown sulphur stain is
seen on film

17. DRYING
 Final stage
 Removes all surface water and retained in emulsion
 Done in dry and dust free cabinet circulated with hot
air,away from sunlight.
 Drying time is 10-15minutes

18. TANKS FOR MANUAL PROCESSING
 Container used to mixed and storage of chemicals
 Materials used should be inert,strong and heat
resistance
 Commenly used materials-hard rubber and
stainless steel

19. FILM HANGERS
 Hangers are metal frames in which films are suspended
processing
 Purpose of hangers:
o Support the film and allow it to be manipulated
without handling of the emulsion
o Permit the number of films to be processed
simultaneously and to keep them separate from each
other during the procedure

20. STORAGE OF CHEMICALS
 Chemical store design should have adequate
ventilation,satisfactory illumination,dust free
environment ,automatic smoke detectors and
secure locks

21. ADVANTAGES OF MANUAL PROCESSING
 It is cheap
 Has less chance of mechanical breakdown
 Little variation in exposure may not hamper the image
quality
 Film can be taken out in between the process

22. DISADVANTAGES OF MANUAL PROCESSING
 It has long processing time
 It required more space
 Chemical contamination occurred to the operator
 More number of manpower required

23. AUTOMATIC PROCESSING
 It is a self-guided process which is done in automatic
processor where all the conditions required are already
fixed.
 It is widely used fast and convenient process.

24. STEPS FOR AUTOMATIC PROCESSING
 Developing-formation of image
 Fixing-stopping of development,
permanent fixing of image on film
 Washing-removal of residual fixer
 Drying-warm air blowing over film

25. WORKING OF AUTOMATIC PROCESSING
 When an exposed film is kept in input tray of processing
 Film detected by micro-switch and gently advanced to the
developer
 Film moved towards the fixer by self-guided roller and squeezing
rollers
 Power provided through a D.C motor
 Then,advanced to washing chamber and drying section

26. SYSTEMS OF AUTOMATIC PROCESSOR
 Film entry or feed system
 Transport system
 Temperature control system
 Recirculation system
 Replenishment system
 Dryer system
 Electrical system

27. FILM ENTRY OR FEED SYSTEM(feeding tray)
 An ideal film entry system consists of a pair of rollers
and a micro-switch
 Lower roller is fixed and top roller is heavy and provided
with movement

28. TRANSPORT SYSTEM
 Consists of series of rollers
 An electric motor drives
 And the racks

29. TEMPERATURE SYSTEM
 Maintains developer,fixer and dryer temperature
Processing Temperatures
Developer 35°C
Fixer 35°C
Washer 32-35°C
Dryer 57°C

30. RECIRCULATION SYSTEM
 Developer and fixer are constantly passed through the
thermostat,temperature gauze,heat exchanger,circulation
pump,heater and filter

31. REPLENSHMENT SYSTEM
 Prevents both the quality and quantity of the chemicals
 Consists of replenisher tanks,filters and replishment pumps
 This system helps to develop the alkalinity and strength
 Helps the fixer solution to maintain its acidity and strength

32. DRYER SYSTEM
 Dries the film before its removal for viewing
 Consists of blower, ventilation ducts, vented dryer tubes
and exhaust system
 Tempr of drying air is usually 50°C

33. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
 It provide electrical power for the operation of
automatic processor

34. PROCESSING RATES
 DEVELOPER: 20-25 sec
 FIXER-15 sec
 WASHING-15 sec
 DRYER: 24 sec
 TRAVEL TIME: 10 sec
Total time :90 sec

35. CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF AP
 Automatic processor should be maintained according
to rules and regulation provided by company on daily,
weekly and monthly routine.
 Main principles are common to most of the machines

36. STARTAR SOLUTION
 Startar is basically an acidic restrainer
 Added to the fresh solution in the development to reduce
the initial activity of developer to the safe working level by
bringing down the PH to correct value

37. ADVANTAGES OF AUTOMATIC PROCESSING
 Has short processing time
 Less manpower required
 Less space required
 No chemical contamination for operator
 Quality and quantity of the solutions are
maintained to a high standard

38. DISADVANTAGES OF AUTOMATIC PROCESSOR
 More expensive
 Has more chance of mechanical breakdown
 Strict role and regulation to get quality image
 Requires diligent maintainance

39. DRY FILM PROCESSING
 No use of chemicals for processing of films like in wet
processing
 Single emulsion film
 Procesed by light or heat
 Two types:
 Photothermography
 Thermography

40. PHOTOTHERMOGRAPHY
 Processed by use of laser light
 Film used in this processor is light or x-ray sensitive
 Load and unload of film isnot done in prompt light
condition
 Manufacture companies – Konica,kodak and fuji

41. PROCESSING IN CR SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION: Computed Radiography also commonly
known as photostimulable phosphor(PSP) imaging
 PSP plate is used in CR
 Digitial replacement of conventional x-ray film radiography
 CR uses a flexible phosphor imaging plate to
capture digital images instead of conventional radiographic
film

42. HISTORY
 1973- George Luckey KODAK patented the first optically
scanned storage phosphor system
 1983-FUJI was first to commercialized a CR system

43. Layers of imaging plate
 Protective layer
 Phosphor layer
 Reflective layer
 Conductive layer
 Support and base layer
 Backing layer

44. CR CASSETTE
 Lightly weighted
 Made of plastic
 Front side made of low attenuation carbon fiber
 Back side made of high atomic number to reduce
backscatter
 Cassette holds and protect the imaging plate and
provides protection from dust

45. PROCESSING:Process the data digitally to produce high
quality radiographic images
PRINCIPAL
 Based upon PSL principal
(Photo stimulable luminescence)
light Excited Emission of light
 CR employs a phosphor which works on PSL principal
(phosphor-made up of europium activated barium fluoro
halide,BaFX:Eu 2+)

46. WORKING
 When imaging plate is exposed to X-ray photons,energy from
incoming radiation is stored in phosphor layer in the form of
trapped electron(latent image)
 A specialized machine CR reader is used to read out
the latent image from the plate by stimulating it
with very finely focused laser beam
 Phosphor will emit blue light(luminescence)
 The light is then dected by a highly sensitive analogdevice known
as photo multiplier(PMT) and converted to a digital signal

47. ADVANTAGES
 Images are stored in digital form
 Phosphor imaging plate are re-usable thousands of
times
 Image processing time is generally shorter than
manual film processing
 Processing chemicals, dark room & Storage room
required
 Reduction of repeat exposure
 Image quality is better than conventional screen

48. DISADVANTAGES
 High equipment cost
 Higher noise
 Lower spatial resolution

49. THERMOGRAPHY
 Processed by use of heat
 Film used in this processor is heat sensitive but not
light sensitive
 Load and unload of film is possible in light prompt
condition
 Manufacture company- AGFA

50. COMPARISON
MANUAL
 WETTING:15s
 DEVELOPMENT:
1. 4min
2. no starter solution
3. temp 20°C
4. developer less conc
AUTOMATIC
 WETTING: not needed
 DEVELOPMENT:
1. 26S
2. starter solution needed
3.temp 35°C
4.developer more conc

51. MANUAL
 RINSING : done for 30s
 FIXING:8-10min
 WASHING:15-30 min
 DRYING:10-15 min
(hanger needed)
AUTOMATIC
 RINSING : not needed
 FIXING:15 sec
 WASHING:15 sec
 DRYING: 25 sec
(hanger not needed)

52. MANUAL
 Long processing time
 Work load cannot be
increased
 More space required
 More manpower
 Poor quality control
 Chemical contamination
AUTOMATIC
 Short processing time
 Work load can be increased
 Less space required
 Less manpower
 Improved quality control
 No contamination

53. MANUAL
 Darkroom conditions and
chemistry required
 More processing time
 Film is evaluated by film viewer
 Cheap
 More manpower required
CR
 No darkroom and chemistry
required
 Processing time is 1-3min
depending on scan resolution
 Computer with viewing/analysis
software
 Expensive
 Less manpower required

54. References
 Radiographic imaging, DN & MO Chesney, CBS Publishers
& Distributors, India.
 Chesneys’ Radiographic Imaging, John Ball & Tony Price,
6th edition, Oxford Blackwell Scientific Publication
 Varoius internet sites

55. Thank you