Effects of aluminum-copper alloy filtration on photon spectra, air kerma rate and image contrast

This study evaluated the performance of aluminum-copper alloy filtration, without the original aluminum filter, for dental radiography in terms of x-ray energy spectrum, air kerma rate and image quality. Comparisons of various thicknesses of aluminum-copper alloy in three different percentages were made with aluminum filtration. Tests were conducted on an intra-oral dental x-ray machine and were made on mandible phantom and on step-wedge. Depending on the thickness of aluminum-copper alloy filtration, the beam could be hardened and filtrated. The use of the aluminum-copper alloy filter resulted in reductions in air kerma rate from 8.40% to 47.33%, and indicated the same image contrast when compared to aluminum filtration. Aluminum-copper alloy filtration may be considered a good alternative to aluminum filtration.

QUALITY OF RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES: LABORATORY EVALUATION OF INTRAORAL FILMS, FILTERS, COLLIMATORS, AND RADIATION EXPOSURE

In order to evaluate density, radiographic contrast and dose of radiation exposure, the author analyzed 80 radiographs containing 640 optical density data of the images of a penetrometer, exposed to the radiation beam with combinations between D and E periapical films, aluminum and copper/aluminum filters, and circular or rectangular collimators. The data obtained were analyzed by ANOVA and allowed the following conclusions: 1) aluminum filtration resulted in improved image contrast; 2) the use of group D film and an aluminum filter produced improved image contrast quality; 3) the rectangular collimator contributed to the production of improved contrast and to the reduction of radiation exposure, but did not affect density; 4) the combination of copper/aluminum filter, E group film and rectangular collimation significantly reduced radiation exposure.

Effects of Rare-earth Filters on Patient Exposure and Image Contrast

Minimizing patient exposure while maintaining a diagnostically acceptable radiograph is a major goal in diagnostic radiography. Rare-earth filters may be the means to achieve this goal due to their "bandpass effect". The purpose of this study was to examine the image contrast effects and exposure reductions for various thicknesses of aluminum, samarium, gadolinium, gadolinium oxysulfide, and gadolinium oxysulfide added to 2.5 mm of aluminum. Trials were conducted on an intra-oral dental x-ray unit (range, 65 to 90 kVp). When compared with conventional aluminum, all of the rare-earth filters provided lower radiation exposures, with gadolinium in the metallic or oxysulfide form providing the lowest exposures. Samarium, at a thickness of 0.127 mm, yielded the highest image contrast. Gadolinium or gadolinium oxysulfide added to 2.5 mm of aluminum resulted in a slight loss of contrast when compared with conventional aluminum filtration. This loss may not be clinically significant, and when coupled with the reduced exposure afforded by these filters, they become viable as acceptable alternatives to aluminum filtration.