Causes Recommended Corrective

Action
Exposure
Artifacts
Motion Use technical factor, proper
patient instruction, shorten
the exposure time
Improper patient Close contact of patient to IR
position
Wrong screen-film Orthochromatic, Green sensitive (film) =
match monochromatic green emission (IS) =
Green sensitive (film) = green phosphor
emission (IS)
Poor screen If you eat inside the room and it
contact touches the IS after you close it
(two IS are not close enough to
film)
Double exposure Exposing again the radiographic
film that has already latent
image
Warped cassette Problem in cassette
Improper grid
position
Unexpected Improper patient preparation
foreign object such
as Jewelry
Blur Improper patient movement,
including breathing
Grid cutoff Improper patient position
artifacts
Obscured detail Poor screen-film contact

Processing
Artifacts
Emulsion Pickoff There’s white portion in black Proper processor QC,
Appearance: sharp areas of Frequent cleaning
increased or reduced OD
Gelatin buildup Dirty or warped rollers
Appearance: sharp areas of
increased or reduced OD
Curtain Effect Improper squeezing of
processing chemicals from film,
either runs down the leading
edge of the film
or runs up the trailing edge
Chemical fog Developer temperature, fixer
temperature
 Appearance: uniform dull gray
Guide-shoe marks Improper position or springing Repeat radiograph
of guide shoes in turnaround
assembly
Pi lines 3.14 inch, dirt or chemical stains
on roller
Wet pressure irregular or dirty rollers,
sensitization cause pressure during
development
Appearance: small circular
patterns of increased
OD
Dichroic stain Improper or inadequate
processing chemistry
All chemical stains
Appearance: Curtain effect
Sharp increase or Dirty or warped rollers, which
decrease in OD can leave a sludge deposit on
film
Uniform dull, gray Improper or inadequate
fog processing chemistry

Small circular Pressure caused by irregular or

patterns of dirty rollers
increased OD
Yellow-brown Oxidized developer
drops on film
Milky appearance Underreplenished fixer
Greasy appearance Inadequate washing
Brittle appearance Improper dryer temperature or
hardener in the fixer

Handling &
Storage
Artifacts
Light fog White-light leaks in the proper facility design
darkroom or
within the cassette
Appearance: streak-like artifacts
of increased OD
Radiation fog White-light leaks in the proper facility design
darkroom or
within the cassette
Appearance: streak-like artifacts
of increased OD
Static buildup of electron in the proper facility design
emulsion
 Tree, crown, smudge
Kink marks Rough handling before proper facility design
processing
Appearance: increased OD
Hypo retention Inadequate washing, silver proper facility design
stain sulfide slowly builds up &
appears yellow on
the radiograph
Appearance: yellow brown

Scratches proper facility design