Recent developments in radiology have included the introduction of digital x-ray detectors, which are typically referred to as flat panel detector (FPD) systems. These new technology FPDs can be placed directly next to the patient’s tissue instead of being stacked upon one another like traditional film screen radiography equipment.
By moving away from the older technology, FDPs allow for thinner, more comfortable examinations while also reducing exposure times to a minimum due to their use of computerized processors to analyze and process exposed images.
These advanced FDPs do not only help make your examination more convenient, but they also provide better quality diagnostic information than conventional film screen setups.
It is important to note that although these newer FPD technologies offer improved image quality over earlier models, they still require appropriate protective gear such as lead aprons, gloves, and/or face shields when used during an exam.
Physics of x-rays
The way that most digital x ray detectors work is by using physics to determine what materials an object is. When x rays are exposed to matter, they give off flashes or pulses of light, depending on the material’s density.
The intensity and duration of these flashes depend not only on the thickness of the item being scanned, but also how well the item absorbs or reflects the x rays. This means that different materials absorb x rays to varying degrees, which can be used to identify them.
By comparing the amount of absorption for various wavelengths in the scan, the computer can calculate what types of materials made up the given sample. You can read more about this process here.
While there are no regulations yet requiring people with digital x ray devices to be certified, many clinics do require certification as proof of safety practices.
Computed tomography (CT) scan
A CT scanner works by taking many pictures of your body as it moves through the device. These pictures are then used to create 3D images that can be manipulated and studied in computer software, like those designed for medical use.
A typical x-ray detector is comprised of several thousand very small tungsten atoms called pixels. Each pixel has its own electrical source which produces an electron flow when exposed to radiation or light. As more radiation is absorbed by any given area, the number of electrons produced there increases.
By analyzing these changes at a microscopic level, we can determine how much radiated energy each individual region absorbs. By doing this multiple times with a fine enough mesh, we get very precise information about what parts of the anatomy have been hit by bullets, shrapnel or other debris.
This technology was first invented over 50 years ago and is still one of the most important tools in medicine today.
Digital dental radiography
Another form of digital x-ray is called a digital intraoral radiographic (or “digital” for short) device. These typically use an ion chamber or solid state detector to create an image.
Ion chambers work by detecting free electrons left over from exposure to radiation. The density of these electrons varies depending on the amount of radiation that has exposed the chamber.
The difference in electron densities are then measured, creating an image. For example, if there were more electrons present in the chamber, then it would be brighter where as less electrons means it is darker.
These devices usually have you place them next to your teeth while they expose so they can measure how much radiaiton comes through each layer of tissue. This helps make sure that no overexposure happens. They also have shielding around the sensor to limit background exposures.
Digital intraoral equipment comes with software designed to enhance the images and/or diagnose conditions such as gum disease and caries (cavity formation).
Digital radiography
Technology that uses radiation to determine internal body features is called digital radiography or, more commonly, digital x-ray imaging.
X rays are just about any type of radiant energy with frequencies in the range of 100 khz to 10 mHz. Medical x rays typically start at around 50 khz and go up to 25 megaevers per second (mpe s-1). These higher power levels are needed to get good quality images because most parts of the human body are denser than air so they absorb some of the low frequency radio waves.
In conventional medical x ray machines, these high voltage currents are beam shaped and projected onto an image plate or film which then exposed for developing later. The intensity and duration of exposure is related to how much detail you want to see in the image. Too much can cause overexposure and fogging of the film while too little results in poor quality pictures.
After development, the film has to be read by someone who knows what things look like under those wavelengths. This process is time consuming and requires trained individuals. There are also legal regulations about when films have to be developed and where they can be sent for reading.
Digital radiography works differently. It uses solid state detectors instead of film to capture radition directly as an electrical current. Detector types include CCDs (charged coupled devices), CMOS sensors, APDs (avalanche photodiodes) and PMOD crystals.
Digital radiography benefits
Recent developments in medical imaging technology have led to an explosion of options. One such option is digital radiology, or x-ray scanning that does not use traditional film but instead detects images using computer software and hardware.
Digital radiology has several advantages over older methods. It can be done at much faster speeds, which helps doctors diagnose patients more quickly. It also allows for greater accuracy as it uses advanced computer software to analyze scans rather than relying on humans to do so.
It is important to note that although newer equipment typically costs more upfront, the cost per scan is usually lower due to the reduced need for producing and developing films. These savings are then passed onto the patient!
There are many different types of digital radiology, with each one focusing on using high energy radiation to create pictures of your body’s interior structures. Different technologies achieve this by utilizing electrical currents, magnetic fields, or both.
This article will discuss two common types of digital radiography – conventional direct conversion detectors (DCD) and storage phosphor plate systems (SP). Both rely on converting radiant light into electricity to produce their images, but they do so via very different mechanisms.
These two systems can now be found in almost every hospital and clinic across the world. They have become ubiquitous because of how well they work and how easily you can learn them.
Digital radiography limitations
A significant limitation of digital x-ray detectors is that they only detect one specific wavelength range of light, typically either in the infrared or ultraviolet spectrum. This means that any features you want to see as an x-ray cannot be detected because these devices are not able to distinguish between them and other parts of the image.
Infrared cameras use this principle by detecting heat to create images, whereas most conventional radiology uses visible light to do so. Because different materials emit different amounts of energy depending on their chemical composition, the intensity and color of an x-ray exposure can tell us things about what we are looking at.
By having a limited range of wavelengths that a detector can recognize, digital radiographs lose this information. This makes it more difficult to determine material properties such as density, texture, and internal structure.
There are some new types of digital x-ray equipment that work around this problem. By using two separate sensors with independent wavelength ranges, researchers have been able to produce higher quality pictures than normal units.
