Grids

RTEC 244

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Dr. Gustave
Bucky
CROSSHATCH GRID

 Since Dr. Gustav Bucky

built the first grid in
1913,
 his original principle of
lead foil strips standing  Dr. Hollis Potter made
on edge separated by x-
ray transparent
interspacers has
remained one of the
best-known techniques
to trap the scatter
Potter-Bucky Diaphragm
improvements to the
use of grids
 Realigned lead strips
to run in one direction
 Moved grid during
exposure to make
lines invisible on
image
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Creating the Image

 Transmission
 Responsible for dark areas
 Absorption
 Responsible for light areas
 Scatter
 Creates fog
 Lowers contrast
 Increases as
 kV increases
 Field size increases
 Thickness of part
increases
 Z# decreases
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Grid Selection
 Patient Dose  Indications for Grid Use
 Exam
 Detail required • Part thickness > 10 cm
 Part thickness • kVp > 60
 Desired technique • EXCEPTIONS?
(kVp)
 Equipment availability
& cassette 5
If placed BACWARDS
CAN CAUSE GRID ERRORS
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What are some factors that increase
scatter radiation?
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Grids “clean up” scatter radiation
 A high quality
grid can attenuate
80 –90 % of scatter radiation

3 factors contribute to an
increase in scatter
 Increased kVp
 Increased x-ray field size
 Increased patient
thickness
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Ideally, only those x-rays that do not interact
with the patient should reach the IR….
 However, scatter radiation is a factor
that must be managed
 Proper collimation has the PRIMARY effect
of reducing patient dose by _________ ?
 Proper collimation also improved
image contrast by reducing
radiographic noise or fog caused by
scatter
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How does increasing kVp affect patient dose?

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Basic Grid Construction

• Radiopaque lead strips
• Separated by
radiolucent interspace
material
– Typically aluminum
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Grids
 Allow primary
radiation to reach the
image receptor (IR)
 Absorb most scattered
radiation
 Primary disadvantage
of grid use
 Grid lines on film
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CASSETTES W/ GRID CAPS
STATIONARY GRIDS
Stationary grids
Grids that can be
attached to a
cassette for use
or a specially
designed
Grid cassettes
 Height of lead strips 14
divided by thickness

Grid Dimensions of interspacing

material
Grid ratio = h/D
• h = the height of the
radiopaque strips
• D = the distance
between the strips
– the thickness of the
interspace material

 GRID RATI0
 The distance between lead strips may remain
constant so the thickness of the grid must increase
as grid ratios increase. It is possible to appreciate
 the smaller angle of deflection of the x-ray photon
that will pass through the 16:1 ratio grid.
 Thus, high ratio grids usually "clean-up the beam,"
removing scatter radiation more effectively than
low ratio grids.
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Grid Ratio
 Higher grid ratio
 More efficient in
removing scatter
 Typical grid ratio
range is 5:1 to 16:1
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Grid Ratio Example

 If a grid has an
interspace of 0.5mm
and lead strips that
are 3mm high, what is
it's grid ratio?
 GR = 3mm/0.5mm

GR = 6:1
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Grid Frequency
 The number of lead
strips per inch or cm
 Frequency range
 60-200 lines/in
 25-80 lines/cm
 Typically higher
frequency grids have
thinner lead strips

 Higher frequency with the

same interspace distance
reduces the grid effectiveness
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The higher the ratio the straighter the
photon must travel to reach the IR
 Grid ratios range from
5:1 to 16:1
 Most common
8:1 to 10:1
 A 5:1 grid will clean up
85%
 16:1 clean up 97%
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Digital Imaging Systems

 Very high-frequency grids
 103-200 lines/in
 41-80 lines/cm
 Recommended for use with digital systems
 Minimizes grid line appearance
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Air-Gap Technique
 Or Air filtration
 Increase OID by 10 to 15 cm
 This reduces the amount of scatter reaching the
IR because some scatter will miss the IR.
 It is about the same as using an 8:1 grid
 mAs is increased 10% for every cm of air gap
 Increases magnification and reduction in detail.
Has some selective uses with chest imaging and
cerebral angiography
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Air-Gap Technique
 An alternative to grid use
 10” air gap has similar
clean-up of 15:1 grid

 Problems:
 Increased OID =
increase in blur  AIR GAP.
 Drawing illustrates the tube, object,
 Must increase SID grid and film relationship in
conventional radiography and the use
 Motion due to lack of of an air gap to decrease the effect of
contact to IR scatter radiation. Note that an increase
in the FFD tends to decrease the
magnification of the image on the film.
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Grid Patterns
 Criss-cross or cross-hatched
 Linear
 Parallel
 Focused
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Linear Grid
 Lead strips run the length of cassette
 Allows primary beam to be angled along the
long axis of grid without obtaining “cut-off”
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Focused
Linear Grids
 Lead strips are angled
to match divergence
of beam
 Primary beam will align
with interspace material
 Scatter absorbed by lead
strips

 Convergence line
 Narrow positioning latitude
 Improper centering results in
peripheral cut-off
 Only useful at preset SID
distance
 Higher ratio grids require
careful alignment with tube
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Parallel Linear Grids

 All lead strips are
parallel to one another
 Absorb a large
amount of primary
beam
 Resulting in some cut-
off
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Grid Use & Movement

 Potter-Bucky diaphragm
 The Bucky
 Mounts a 17” x 19” grid above cassette
 Moves the grid during exposure

 Reciprocating
 Motor drives grid back and forth during
exposure
 Oscillating
 Electromagnet pulls grid to one side
 Releases it during exposure
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Grids and Exposure Factors

 Whenever a grid is placed in beam to
remove scatter
 Density of radiograph will go down
 Exposure factors must be increased to
compensate for lack of density

 Required increase in technique can be

calculated
 Grid conversion (GCF) or Bucky factor
GCF = mAs with grid
mAs without grid
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GRID CONVERSION FACTORS

NO GRID 1
5:1 2
6:1 3
8:1 4
10/12:1 5
16:1 6

CHANGES IN MAS
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Give It a Try!
 Original: 20mAs with an 8:1 grid
 Find new mAs with a 12:1 grid

 mAs2 = 20 mAs x 5
4
 mAs2 = 100
4
 mAs2 = 25
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Selectivity or ability to “clean up”
the heavier the grid the more Pb it contains
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Selectivity “K” factor

 Describes grid’s ability to allow primary
radiation to reach image receptor and
prevent scatter
 Grids are designed to absorb scatter
 Sometimes they do absorb primary radiation

 Compares radiographic contrast of an

image with a grid to radiographic contrast
of an image without a grid
 Typically ranges between 1.5 – 3.5
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Grid Errors
 Proper alignment
between x-ray tube
and grid
 Very important
 Improper alignment
will result in cut-off
 Off-level
 Off-center
 Off-focus
 Upside-down
 Moire effect
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Grid Problems
 Increased OID, especially with moving
grids
 The biggest problem with grids is
misalignment
GRID PROBLEMS
RESULT IN:
UNDEREXPOSED IMAGE
OR UNDEREXPOSED
EDGES OF IMAGE
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Grid Problems –
Off Level

CUT OFF MORE SEVERE

ON ONE SIDE THAN
THE OTHER
A problem with focused & crossed grids 37

Grid Problems – Off Center

Grid Problems – 38

Off Focus (wrong SID)

CUT OFF EQUAL ON

BOTH SIDES
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Grid Problems –
Upside-Down

A problem with focused grids

= severe cut off on both
edges
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STATIONARY GRID/NOT MOVING
GRID CUT OFF - EVENLY ACROSS
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GRIDS
CAN
LEAVE
LINES
ON THE
IMAGE
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CR GRIDS
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REG GRID VS DR GRID

What is this called?
What causes this?
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 Digital systems
When grid lines are
Moire Effect 
parallel to scan lines
 High frequency grids
can prevent this
phenomenon
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Moire Effect
Reference detector f-theta Cylindrical mirror
lens

Beam splitter
Light channeling guide

Laser
Source Output Signal
Beam deflector

ADC

PMT
Laser beam:
Amplifier
Scan direction To image
processor

Plate translation:
Sub-scan direction

 When grid lines are

parallel to scan lines
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DR USES HIGER FREQUENCY GRIDS
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