Element of Image Sharpness

Element of Image Sharpness
• Recorded detail is the

sharpness of the lines
of the image.
• Distortion is the
misrepresantation of
of the true size or
shape of the image
compared to the
object.
What impacts the recorded
detail?
• Focal spot size
• Object to Image Distance (OID) or Object
to Film Distance (OFD)
• Source to Image Distance (SID) or Focal
Film Distance (FFD)
• Screen to Film Contact & Screen Speed
• Motion
What impacts Distortion?
• Object Image Distance (OID) or Object
Film Distance (OFD)
• Source Image Distance (SID) or Focal Film
Distance (FFD)
• Object Alignment
• Film Alignment
• Central Ray Alignment
Selecting the Focal Spot
• The operator has total
control over the focal
spot.
• The “S” indicates the
small focal spot is
selected.
Selecting the Focal Spot
• Selecting “S” will
mean the voltage will
be applied to the small
filament.
• Selecting “L” will
apply the voltage to
the large filament.
Focal Spot Size Selection
• The x-ray beam is
more tightly focused
when the small focal
spot is selected.
• The edge sharpness is
improved because of
less shadow or
penumbra.
Small Focal Spot
• Advantages
– Reduced penumbra
– OFD can be increased
with minimal loss of
detail.
• Disadvantages
– Lower mA selection
due to tube heating
– Longer exposure times
that can cause patient
motion
Screen and Film Speed
• The type of film and
materials used in the
screens will determine
the speed of the film
& screen combination.
• Small phosphors in the
screens and grain in
the film will produce
sharper images.
Screen and Film Speed
• Speed is determined
by the system’s RSV
or Relative Speed
Value.
• High RSV needs less
radiation but have
lower recorded detail.
Focal Spot and OFD
• When the object is far away from the film
more shadows of the edges are produced
resulting in a loss of sharpness.
– The shadow is greater with the large focal spot.
– Using the small focal spot will reduce the
unsharpness.
Inverse Square Law
• The intensity of the beam is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance.
• This law can be used to compute patient or
staff radiation exposure.
• If you double your distance from the
source, the exposure is reduced 75%.
Inverse Square Law
• The intensity of the beam is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance.
• To adjust the mAs for a different SID, the
following formula is used.
Old mAs x New Distance2
• New mAs = ------------------------
Old distance 2
Inverse Square Law Exercise
If 5 mAs was used at a 40” SID, what mAs
would be used at 20” SID?
Old SID: 40” New SID: 20”
Old mAs: 5 New mAs: ?
Inverse Square Law
5 mAs x 20” 2
New mAs = -------------------------
40” 2
5 x 400
mAs = --------------------- = 1.25 mAs
1600
SID and Sharpness
Longer SID = Less Unsharpness

OFD & Focal Spot Exercise
• A P-A view of the
hand is taken at a 20”
SID with the hand
resting on the cassette.
• Notice how close the
tube is to the hand.
Would the skin dose
be more than at 40”
SID?
• A second exposure is
made with the hand
raised 3.5” above the
film. The SID remains
at 20”.
• Would the patient
exposure be increased
or decreased?
• Increased!!!
• What happened when
the hand was moved
away from the film or
the OFD was
increased?
• The image lost
resolution.
Unsharpness Factor
• Using this formula we can compute the loss
of geometric unsharpness caused by focal
spot and Object to Film Distance problems.
Focal Spot X OID
• Unsharpness = ----------------------------
SOD
Unsharpness Factor
Image A Small Focal Spot short OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 1mm x 5 mm /470mm =
0.010
Image B Small Focal Long OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 1mm x 87mm/390mm
=0.223
Unsharpness Factor
Image A Large Focal Spot Short OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 2mm x 5 mm /470mm =
0.0212
Image B Large Focal Long OID 20” SID

Unsharpness Factor = 2mm x 87mm/390mm
=0.4461 Very poor image
Impact of SID and OFD on
Image Quality
• We usually
want to get
the body part
as close to the
film as
possible to
reduce
magnification
distortion.
Impact of SID and OFD on
Image Quality
• When we
can’t get the
part close to
the film, the
SID should be
increased.
Technique adjustment
• If 2 mAs was used at the 34” SID, what
mAs would be used at 68”?
• New mAs = Old mAs x new distance 2
» Old distance2
• New mAs = 2 x 682 / 342 = 8
• If the distance is doubled, the mAs will be
the square of the difference or 4 x 2 = 8
34 “ SID 68” SID
Magnification Distortion
• 1. Compare the images on films labeled 34
inches and 68 inches.
– Evaluate the image size and detail. Are both
films the same?
• 1. The images are not the same. The films
taken at 68” are smaller and sharper.
• 2. What observations can be made when the
image is close to the film and when it is
away from the film?
• 2. The amount of magnification is
determined by the Object to Image
Distance.
• The Source to Image Distance impacts the
magnification distortion. Longer SID will
produce less magnification.
Comparison of Magnified Views
Degrees of Magnification
• 3. Compare the magnification views for
sharpness.
• The 68” view has less magnification
distortion and is sharper than the 34” view.
• Note: When comparing magnification and
changes in SID, do so with the magnified
view. The shortest SID will have the most
magnification usually.
• If we know the size of the object, the SID
and the OID we can compute the
magnification factor using this formula
Source to Image Distance
Magnification =Source to Object Distance
20” SID 68” SID
• 4. Compare the 68” films to the 20” films.
– The films taken at 20” have more
magnification distortion.
– When we want the least amount of
magnification distortion, a 72” SID is used.
• If a long SID produces the least
magnification distortion, why don’t we take
all films with a long SID?
• Radiation dose and tube limits. At 72” it
takes 3.5 times more radiation to produce
the same image. This would result in longer
exposure times and shorter tube life.

Element of Image Sharpness

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Element of Image Sharpness

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Element of Image Sharpness

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Element of Image Sharpness

• Recorded detail is the

Longer SID = Less Unsharpness

Image A Small Focal Spot short OID 20” SID

Image B Small Focal Long OID 20” SID

Image A Large Focal Spot Short OID 20” SID

Image B Large Focal Long OID 20” SID

You might also like