Radiology 

 

Lec. 3                                          X – Ray Films                                     د. ﺷﮭﺪ ﺿﺮﻏﺎم

 

 

 

Radiograph: Is the image of an object made with use of X- ray instead of light. 

 

Dental x- ray film: Is a recording media on which image of the object was made by 
exposing this film to X- ray. 

 

Types of X- ray film 

 

a- Intra oral X- ray film. 
b- Extra oral X- ray film. 

 

 

 

a- Intra oral X- ray film 

 

Chemical composition of X- ray film: 

 

It consists of a sensitized emulsion present on both sides of transparent base. 

 

The base is the foundation of the radiographic film , made from cellulose acetate. Its 
primary purpose is to provide a rigid structure onto which the emulsion can be coated. 
Its flexible and fracture resistant to allow easy handling but rigid enough to be placed 
on the viewer. 

 

The emulsion is the heart of the x-ray film , it’s the material with which the x-ray or 
light photons interact and forming the image. It consists of homogenous mixture of 
silver halides crystals (mainly silver bromides) suspended in gelatin. The silver 
bromide crystals are sensitive to both light and X- ray photons. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 1: Diagram showing the cross-sectional structure of radiographic film. 

 

The intra oral film is wrapped by opaque material to prevent light from reaching the 
film because light photons can activate the silver halides crystals. Also a thin sheet of 


(Lead foil) is usually placed behind the film to prevent most of secondary radiation 
that originated in the tissue of the patient behind the film from reaching it. 

 

Therefore this lead foil reduces secondary radiation and minimizes film fog. In 
addition the lead foil absorbs X- ray that have passed through the object and the film 
so it reduce the exposure of the tissue behind the film. This foil has a design of 
(herring bone pattern). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intra oral film types 

Fig. 2: The contents of a film packet. 

 

Classified on numerical basis into: 

 

A - Type I 
Called periapical film used to examine the apical area of the tooth and the 
surrounding structures (record the crowns, roots, and surrounding bone). Film packs 
come in three sizes 
•Size 0 for small children (22 mm × 35 mm) 
•Size 1, which is relatively narrow and used for views of the anterior teeth (24 mm 
× 40 mm) 
•Size 2, the standard film size used for adults (30.5 mm 40.5×mm) 
So the available sizes are (1.0, 1.1 and 1.2) 

 

B –  Type II 
Is called bitewing film it used to detect the inter proximal caries and the height of 
alveolar bone between 2 adjacent teeth. Bite-wing films often have a paper tab 
projecting from the middle of the film on which the patient bites to support the film. 
Size 2 film is normally used in adults; the smaller size 1 is preferred in children. In 
small children, size 0 may be used. A relatively long size 3 is also available. So the 
size include (2.0, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3) 


C –  Type III 
Is called occlusal film that used to demonstrate area larger in dimension than area 
appearing in periapical film. the size is (3.4) only. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Self-developing 
type 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig 4: types of x-ray films (manual and self-developing) 

 

Intra oral film speed 

 

Speed means the sensitivity of X- ray film silver bromide crystals (Ag Br) to X- ray 
photon. 

 

There is direct relation between the speed of the film and the size of the crystals, the 
larger crystal size the faster film speed. the faster mean it need less amount of radiation 
to produce radiographic image so less radiation dose absorbed by patient. 

 

The classification of film speed based on alphabetical basis so from A to F, film speed 
A is the slowest while speed F is the faster one.

 

 

b- Extra oral film
 The purpose of using such film is to make a radiographic image able to examine an
area in and around the jaw that can't be seen by intra oral film, such as panoramic , 
cephalometric and other skull radiograph

 

Types of extra oral film 
1. Screen films
2. Non screen films


  Non screen film 
1. Film emulsion is more sensitive to X- ray than to light. 
2. The film has double emulsion like intra oral film but the emulsion is thicker. 
3. Increased thickness of emulsion make the non screen film need less amount of 
radiation so it need less exposure time. 
4. The size of the film used include: 5×7 and 8×10 inches. 

 

 

  Screen film 
1. Film emulsion is more sensitive to visible light and more specifically to blue light 
in the visible light spectrum. 
2. The size include: - 5×7, 8×10 and 10×12 inches. 
 The screen film placed between 2 fluorescent screen in cassette. These 2 
fluorescent screen made from (tiny calcium tungestate crystals). When these crystals 
exposed to X- Ray , the result of this exposure is a creation of light , this light in turn 
exposes the screen film to produce the image. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig4: screen film 

 

 Film properties 
 These include density, contrast and details or definition. 
A. Density: Is the degree of blackness present in the processed film it measures in 
terms of light transmission on a percentage or logarithmic scale. 
 Film density used in diagnostic radiograph is ranged from 0.25 to 2. 

Sensitometry is the study of the relationship between the intensity of exposure of the 
film and the blackness after film processing. 

 


 

 

1. Exposure time: increase exposure time increases the film density. 
2. Milliampere: increase milliampere value (mA) which is usually ranged from 10 – 
15mA, cause increasing film density. 
3. Kiolvoltage: increase Kilovoltage value (kV) cause increasing film density. 
4. Developing time: developing time usually range from 4 – 5 minutes. increase 
developing time cause increasing film density. 
5. Distance: increase the distance between x- ray tube and the film during exposure 
cause decrease film density. 

 

 

B. Contrast: It means the graduation of differences in film density at different 
areas of a radiograph. 

 

Type of contrast:

 

 

1. Long – scale or low contrast:- when many different film densities can be seen 
between totally clear and totally black areas of the radiograph. 
2. Short – scale or high contrast:- when few different film densities can be seen 
between totally clear and totally black areas of the radiograph. 

 

 

The stepwedge or penetrometer: Is an object used to show the radiographic contrast 
.it's usually made of aluminum and is constructed so that there is a constant increase in 
thickness of aluminum between the X- ray tube and the film. 

 

 Factors affect contrast 
1. Kilovoltage: increase kilovoltage cause increase the contrast scale 
2. Processing solution temperature: increase the temperature cause decrease of 
 contrast scale. 

Factors affect film density


 Factors affect details 
1. Focal spot size: size of focal spot must be as small as possible in order to produce 
sharp image. 
2. Film grain size (film crystals): increase the size of film grain produce less sharp 
image. 
3. Movement of patient head or X- ray tube or the film during exposure causes 
unsharp image. 
4. Target object distance: which should be as great as possible, otherwise the image 
will be unsharp. 
5. Object film distance: should be as small as possible to produce sharp image. 
 6. Screen – film contacts: poor contact cause un sharp image. 

 

 

 What will happen during exposure of X- ray film exposure to radiation? 

 

x- ray photons interact with electrons of the atoms of the chemical emulsion in the X- 
ray film so the result is analog image, analog means the image appears identical to the 
original. 

 

Latent image formation 

 

The Ag Br crystals in the film emulsion are changed whenever they absorb X- ray 
photons, the result of absorption is precipitation of speck of silver in each exposed Ag 
Br crystal to X- ray, collectively these specks are called Latent image which is 
invisible and in order to convert to visible image X- ray film must be processed. 

 

Film processing 
Its either manual or automatic processing. 

 

Processing cycle include: Developing, rising, fixing, washing and drying. 

 

 Developing: is the stage of processing during which the latent image 
is converted to a visible image. 

 

X- ray film is placed in alkaline developer solution ,the action of developing agents 
are on exposed Ag Br crystals to continue the process of precipitating the specks of 
silver until all silver is deposit at the site of crystal and the bromine is released into the 
developing solution causing softening of the X- ray film emulsion . 

 

 Rinsing: by water for 30s to terminates the developer action and 
remove chemicals from emulsion. 

C. Details or definition: Is the ability to reproduce sharp outlines of the object. 


 

 Fixing: by using a fixer solution .its action is: 
1. Re harden the film emulsion
2. Removed all the unexposed or undeveloped crystals.

 

 

 

After fixing the film washed in running water & finally drying. 

 

Dark Room 

 

The darkroom or processing room is a place where the necessary handling and 
processing of radiographic films can be carried out safely and efficiently without 
hazard of producing film fog by accidental exposure to light or x-ray. It may 
exclude all outside light and provides the artificial safelight only. 

 

Size and location of darkroom 

 

Whenever possible oral radiography darkroom should be designed when the dental 
office is planned and should be convenient and easy to work with. 

 

The size of the darkroom depends on the followings: 

 

1.Type & amount of the films to be processed , the greater workload need larger 
darkroom . Large films need large processing tanks , so it takes more space in the 
darkroom. 

 

2.Extra space must be provided if more than one person works with ,9sq.ft. for one 
person is enough but it is advisable to have at least 20 sq. ft. of floor space for 
average dental office. 

 

While for the location of darkroom, many requirements should be taken in 
consideration:
1. It can be conveniently reached from the rooms where the films exposed &
examined.
2. Darkroom  should  be  located  where  room  temperature  fluctuates  as  little  as
possible because the temperature of the processing solution must kept constant .
3. Humidity retards drying of the processed films and damages unused films stored 
in opened films boxes.
4. The darkroom should be accessible to plumbing & power lines.
5. The darkroom must also be well ventilated to provide a comfortable working
environment


 Illumination of dark room 

 

1. A ceiling light to provide ordinary illumination in the darkroom , its switch must 
be placed high enough on the wall to prevent the operator from accidentally turning 
it on during processing . 

 

2. Safe light , it consist of a filtered light beam .

 

3. Red warning light which is placed outside the entrance to the room , it should be 
wired so that it is illuminated whenever the safelight is turned on 

 

Film storage 

 

1.Film must be stored away from excessive heat and humidity. 
2.Chemicals must not be allowed to come in contact with stored films. 
3.Objects should not be placed on top of stored films because pressure can cause 
film artifacts. 
4.The boxes of stored films should be lead lined or made of steel to prevent stray 
radiation from fogging the films. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 5: typical characteristic curve of indirect-action radiographic film, 
showing the main regions of the curve including background fog 
density, toe and shoulder. 


 

 

Fig. 6: characteristic curve of radiographic 
film is the graphic relationship between 
optical density (OD) and exposure. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 7: comparison of speed between insight 
and ultra-speed film. insight film is faster . 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 8: comparison of contrast between film 
and B. film A is higher contrast than film 
(straight-line portion is greater for A). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Ref. White and Pharaoh’s. Oral radiology principles and interpretation. 8th edition 
2019.   

 


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