1. When kVp (kilovolt peak) is increased, the energy of the X-ray photons also increases. This leads to increased penetration of the X-rays through the patient's body, resulting in higher image contrast. Additionally, higher kVp settings can produce more scatter radiation, which may reduce image quality if not properly controlled.
2. To maintain density (overall darkness or brightness of the image), adjustments can be made to both kVp and mAs (milliamperage-seconds). If kVp is increased, the mAs should be decreased proportionally to compensate and maintain the same density. Conversely, if kVp is decreased, the mAs should be increased to compensate.
3. Increasing kVp by 15% without compensating by adjusting mAs will result in an image that has increased density. This means the image will appear darker overall.
4. Decreasing kVp by 15% without compensating by adjusting mAs will result in an image that has decreased density. This means the image will appear lighter overall.
5. Thermionic emission refers to the process by which electrons are emitted from a heated filament in an X-ray tube. When the filament is heated, it releases electrons through a process known as thermionic emission, which then travel towards the anode and interact with the target material to produce X-rays.
6. 200mA @ .10 sec = 20mAs
7. 300mA @ .50 sec = 150mAs
8. 400mA @ 500ms = 200mAs
9. 500mA @ 10ms = 5mAs
10. The base of the film is tinted blue to enhance image quality. The blue tint helps to reduce the visibility of the film's base by absorbing some of the light that passes through the film, which can reduce the appearance of background artifacts and improve contrast.
PH