LECTURE 7PROCESSING AREA

and VIEWING SECTION

KAAB mid-uitm

LESSON OBJECTIVES

At the end of the session, student should able to:-

• Explain the viewing boxes, processors, darkroom and its components.

• Compare between different types of processors.

• Describe the darkroom design and its function.

• Explain the importance of the design towards radiography field.

LET’S REVIEW

• NAME SOME COMPONENTS OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE FILM

• WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE BASE AND EMULSION?

• WHAT IS THE IMAGE CALLED BEFORE IT IS PROCESSED?

• WHAT IS THE SENSITIVITY SPECK?

VIEWING AREA- Viewing boxes

PROCESSING AREA- Darkroom and its components

1) Viewing Area- Viewing Boxes

Viewing Area

Viewing Boxes

• to suit every professional need.

• viewing systems have been developed specifically for different applications.

• offer levels of quality and performance superior to ordinary light boxes, and provide the bright, uniform, glare-free illumination that enable details of potentially crucial diagnostic significance to be examined in comfort.

Viewing Area

• Wide choice of sizes for wall mounting or free standing use.

• Uniform illumination for accurate examination of radiographs of all sizes.

2) Processing Area

Automatic Film ProcessorDaylight Film Processor

Film IdentificationFilm BinSafelight

Darkroom Design

Automatic Film Processor

Automatic Film Processor

• Processing Films in 4 stages:-

Developing

Fixing

Washing

Drying

Note: We had discussed this topic earlier.

Automatic Film Processor

Daylight Film Processor

Daylight Film Processor

Major functions:-- load cassette of unexposed film- ID printing- unload cassette- process films, incorporated with automatic

film processor.

2 types:i) Composite typeii) Modular type.

Daylight Film Processor

Daylight Film Processor

All components (film supply magazines, film dispensers, unloading machinery, and processor) in one unit.

i) Composite

Daylight Film Processor

ii) Modular

Cassette-loading equipment @ film dispenser away from automatic processor.

Special cassette with spring-flap where film is loaded and unloaded.

Film unloader with patient ID printer, then transport to auto-processor.

Daylight Film Processor

Composite

Advantages

• the result of one single action

• cassette can be handled manually

• small processing area

Disadvantages

• processor cannot be used separately

• heavy workload

Modular

• More versatile, can be located separately

• Darkroom facilities can be retained

• No congestion for staff to reload cassettes

Film Identification

Film Identification

Film Identification

Film Identification

• Pt name• Exam date & time• Pt x-ray number• Pt Birthday/DOB• Rt or Lt marker• Optional

– Exam type–Dr. Name

Film Identification

Patient particulars are being placed on top.

Cassette is “flashed” with name – can be done before or after image is taken.

Must be done BEFORE

PROCESSING

FILM.

Film Bin

Film Bin

Film Bin

CONTAINS INDIVIDUAL SLOTS THAT HOLD FILMS OF DIFFERENT SIZES

Film Bin

14 x 17

FRONT

14 x 14

12 x 15

10 x 12

8 x 10

OTHER FILMS

RADIOGRAPHIC FILM SIZES

• 14 X17 inches

• 14 x 14

• 12 x 15

• 10 x 12

• 8 x 10

• 35 x 43 cm

• 35 x 35

• 30 x 40

• 24 x 30

• 18 x 24

Safelight

Safelight

• Film is designed to be insensitive to specific wavelengths of orange-red light.

• The amount of light is controlled by:-

a) The type of filter

b) Wattage of the light source

c) Distance from the film tray

• Not all films insensitive to safelight, some require total darkness.

FILM TRAY

7.5 W

Safelight

AT LEAST 3 FEET FROM THE FILM TRAY

FILM TRAY

15 W

Safelight

AT LEAST 4 FEET FROM THE FILM TRAY

Safelight

A safelight has three basic parts:

• The lamp housing. This holds the bulb and the filter, and keeps the white light emitted by the bulb from escaping.

• The safelight filter. This absorbs light of some colors and transmits light of others to varying degrees.

• The bulb. The recommended wattage is determined by the sensitivity of a particular material, the transmission characteristics of the filter, the type of illumination the lamp housing provides -- spot (direct) vs general (indirect) -- and the distance between the safelight and the area where you handle the material.

Safelight

Safelight

• RED — GREEN LIGHT SENSITIVE FILM ORTHOCHROMATIC

• AMBER – BLUE LIGHT SENSITIVE FILM

• TOTAL DARKNESS FOR PANCHROMATIC FILM

Safelight

• Example for Kodak Brand:-

Filter Color For use with Direct Indirect

2 Dark Red Fast orthochromatic materials. Some green-sensitive x-ray films.

15-watt 25-watt

6B Brown/ Amber

Other blue-sensitive x-ray films. 15-watt 25-watt

Darkroom Design

Darkroom

Darkroom – Still Necessary?

• Darkrooms are necessary for manually fed processors and daylight processors.

-Loading automatic film processor magazines.

• Necessary for conducting certain quality control tests (daily sensitometric strip).

Will this work???

Darkroom Design

CONVENTIONAL DARKROOM

Darkroom Design

Location

Location – center, hatch, away from damp / hot, power & water supply, near with viewing area.

Shielding

• Adjacent to x-ray room – must be lead shielded.

• At least 1/16inches of thickness surrounding the darkroom

Darkroom Design

Ventilation

• System must be lightproof and able to filter out dust.

Humidity

• relative humidity 40-60%

• > 60% - FILM FOG

• <40% - STATIC ARTIFACTS

Darkroom Design

Size

• BIG ENOUGH!!!?

• minimum 10m² floor, 2.5-3m ceiling.

Colour

• light-color, reflect safelight to assist operator, easy to wipe and clean (tiles).

Darkroom Design

Temperature

• temperature 18-20°C/ 50-70 ºF

• Suitable for film storage as to slow down the aging process of film.

Floor

• durable, easy to maintain, non-porous, non-slipped, light-color (put tiles).

Darkroom Design

• PASS-BOXES NEEDED TO PASS FILMS DIRECTLY FROM THE X-RAY ROOM TO DARKROOM

WOULD YOU STORE IT LIKE THIS???

STORE YOUR FILMS STANDING ON THE EDGE TO AVOID PRESSURE MARKS.

USE FILM STORAGE CARTS OR SHELVES

Darkroom Design- Entrance

DARKROOM ENTRANCE: REVOLVING DOOR

DARKROOM ENTRANCE:SINGLE DOOR

DARKROOM ENTRANCE:DOUBLE DOOR

DARKROOM ENTRANCE:MAZE

Others

BASIC COMPONENTS:FILM DUPLICATOR

DUPLICATING FILM EXPOSED TO ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

BASIC COMPONENTS:SILVER RECOVERY SYSTEM

THANK YOU

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X-RAY TUBE