NOTE NOOK # 13

The Prime Factors

The emission of x-ray photos from an x-ray tube is controlled by the number
of factors that are related to the tube design. These factors include tube
housing, target material, filtration, and voltage wave form.
The x-ray tube is described in terms of quantity and quality, and each has
different factors that will impact them.
Quantity: the measure of x-ray photons in the useful beam. The
measurement is the Roentgen (R)
Quality: the measurement of penetrating ability of the x-ray beam.

Factor

Milliamperage/ Kilovoltage
sec

Distance

Filtration

Qualit
y

The mAs will

affect the
radiographic
density on an
image. The
densities are the
direct result of an
x-ray exposure to
the film and IR.
This will be
measured
commonly by a S
number, this tells
us if the image
taken was under
or over exposed,
or if the image
was in the correct
range.

This Factor
does not deal
with quality
as much as
quantity. The
larger the
distance the
less intense
the beam will
be. The
distance and
intensity will
be indirectly
proportional.

Filtration is
the process of
eliminating
undesirable
low energy
photons by
the insertion
of an
absorbing
material.
When this
occurs it
removes
certain
amount of the
useful beam,
which is
known as
hardening the
beam, in
which will
affect your
image density
in the end.

NOT USUALLY
INCLUDED IN
DESCRIBING
QUALITY

The kVp will

affect the
quality of the xray beam
because each
electron has
more energy,
resulting in
greater
penetrability.
This will also
have an effect
on the density
of the image.
Because of the
relationship of
the beam and
IR this is called
contrast. KVP
and contrast
are indirectly
proportional.
The 15% rule is
a common rule
of thumb for
the relationship
between the
kVp dealing
with quantity
and quality.
HVL is the half
value layer
used represent

NOT
USUALLY
INCLUDED
IN
DESCRIBING
QUALITY

NOTE NOOK # 13

Quanti
ty

The measurement
of the amount of
electrons crossing
the tube form the
cathode to anode,
Measured in
Roentgens (R).
Which is also
referred to as an
ampere (6.3 *
10^18). As the
mA increases so
does the number
of electrons
flowing.
Milliamperage is
directly
proportional to
the rube current.
Seconds is the
measurement of
time, which is the
number of
electrons
reaching the
target. X-ray
quantity id
directly
proportional to
mAs.
Density
Maintenance
mAs1/ mAs 2
=D1^2/D2^2

the x-ray
quality. The
thickness used
to reduce the
intensity to half
its value.
The increase of
kVp on an x-ray
control panel
will cause an
increase in the
speed and
energy of the
electrons that
cross the tube.
This will affect
the quantity
because more
interaction will
be occurring
with the more
electrons
reaching the
target. The 15
% rule is a rule
that needs to
be understood
in order to fully
grasp this
concept of
quantity. This
rule states that
when kVp
decreases by
15% that will
cause a need to
double the
mAs. If you
increase your
kVp by 15%
you will divide
your mAs by
half.

From the
point of
photons
leaving the
tube to the
IR, the
electrons will
diverge. The
longer the
distance the
less number
of photons
created will
reach the IR,
the smaller
the distance
the lower the
quantity will
be. The
relationship
between the
distance and
quantity of
the x-ray will
be described
in the inverse
square law.
This law
states that
the intensity
of the
radiation at a
certain
distance from
the point of
origin is
inversely
proportional
the square of
the distance.

Filtration
eliminates
the low
energy
photons,
which in the
end will
decrease the
overall
number of
electrons that
will reach the
target. The
process of
eliminating
the low
energy
photons will
harden the
beam, which
will leave
more high
energy
photons to hit
the IR.

NOTE NOOK # 13

I 1/ I
2=D2^2/D1
^2