Notebook 13

Sammy Puccini

Quantity: intensity of beam, how many photons are with beam, and
measured in R
mAs: xay tube current and exposure time
-Ampere (A) = 1 coulomb (C)/sec = 6.3 x 10^ 18 electrons/sec
-1 mA = 6.3 x 10^15 electrons/sec
-increased mAs = increased exposure
-mAs reciprocity: same density/image receptor exposure will result from different
mA and time, provided that mAs totals are equal
kVp: increased target reactions with increased kVp, increases speed and energy of
electrons applied to xray tube
-15% change of kVp will cause doubling of exposure (decrease kvp by 15 and
double mAs, increase kVp by 15 and halve mAs)
Distance: As SID increases, beam intensity decreases
-Changes in intensity calculated by inverse square: intensity of radiation at a
given distance is inversely proportional to the square of the distance.
I1/I2 = D2^2/D1^2
-As distance increases, intensity decreases= less IR exposure. Shown by:
exposure maintenance formula; provides technique correction for change in SID
mAs1/mAs2 = D1^2/D2^2
Filtration: eliminates undesirable low-energy x-ray photons = less x-ray
-Aluminum considered standard filtering material (Al/Eq)
Inherent filtration: result of the composition of the tube and housing
Added filtration: occurs outside the tube and housing
Compensating filter: add an absorber to compensate for unequal absorption;
wedge and trough
Total filtration: equal to the sum of inherent and added filtration and does not
include any compound or compensating filters

Quality: beam penetrability, how many photons will penetrate anatomy,

HVL (X-ray quality is numerically represented by the half-value layer; how
much aluminum is needs to reduce the beam by half)
kVp: increased kVp increases beam penetrability
penetrability: the ability of the x-ray to pass through structures
Filtration: Not controlled by radiologist. Eliminates undesirable low-energy x-ray
photons
When filtration is increased technical factors must be increased to maintain image
receptor exposure.

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