Effects of rare-earth filters on patient exposure and image contrast

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Dent. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345870660080701· OSTI ID:5976085

Mauriello, S M; Washburn, D B; Matteson, S R

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 band-pass 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.

• Research Organization: Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• OSTI ID: 5976085
• Journal Information: J. Dent. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Dent. Res.; (United States) Vol. 66:8; ISSN JDREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550600 -- Medicine
550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ALUMINIUM
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTRAST MEDIA
DENTISTRY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FILTRATION
GADOLINIUM
IMAGE INTENSIFIERS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MEDICINE
METALS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADIATIONS
RADIOLOGY
RARE EARTHS
SAMARIUM
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
X RADIATION